Survey: Many Building Owners Confused About Energy Management Options

Dec. 23, 2015
A recent survey by Mach Energy found that building owners think they need building management systems before they can implement energy management measures, says Mach Energy president Jon Moeller in this podcast (click on the player above to listen). Responding to the survey from Mach Energy were about 800 building professionals.

A recent survey by Mach Energy found that building owners think they need building management systems before they can implement energy management measures, says Mach Energy president Jon Moeller in this podcast (click on the player above to listen).

Responding to the survey from Mach Energy were about 800 building professionals– responsible with overseeing everything from Energy Star scores & sustainability reporting to technology procurement & implementation.

The survey concluded that property managers are too often undereducated about energy management software, which leads to missed opportunities.

“A lot of people think they need building management systems before they can do energy efficiency,” he says in this interview, noting that building management systems can be invasive and costly.

About 44 percent of the respondents said they had energy management software in place, but 70 percent of the time, these property managers had building management, not energy management in place, according to the initial results of the survey.

The survey also found that reducing energy costs is a top reason to invest in energy management software. Property managers also expressed interest in real-time monitoring of energy, steam and natural gas usage, Moeller says in this interview.

Property managers and building owners need to be educated about the difference between building management systems and energy management systems, he says. “We need everyone to catch up.”

Mach Energy conducted the survey to get a feel for who its customers are, how the customers are moving forward, and how its products and services measure up in the marketplace.  Many respondents said they were using energy management systems–but actually weren’t, he says.

Mach Energy is made up of a team of real estate, software, finance and energy professionals focused on practical ways to implement energy efficiency and achieve sustainability. Its cloud-based energy management solution is installed in the Ferry Building in San Francisco, the World Financial Center, the Empire State Building and the Willard Hotel in Washington, among others.

About the Author

Lisa Cohn | Contributing Editor

I focus on the West Coast and Midwest. Email me at [email protected]

I’ve been writing about energy for more than 20 years, and my stories have appeared in EnergyBiz, SNL Financial, Mother Earth News, Natural Home Magazine, Horizon Air Magazine, Oregon Business, Open Spaces, the Portland Tribune, The Oregonian, Renewable Energy World, Windpower Monthly and other publications. I’m also a former stringer for the Platts/McGraw-Hill energy publications. I began my career covering energy and environment for The Cape Cod Times, where Elisa Wood also was a reporter. I’ve received numerous writing awards from national, regional and local organizations, including Pacific Northwest Writers Association, Willamette Writers, Associated Oregon Industries, and the Voice of Youth Advocates. I first became interested in energy as a student at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, where I helped design and build a solar house.

Twitter: @LisaECohn

Linkedin: LisaEllenCohn

Facebook: Energy Efficiency Markets

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