US Energy Information Administration figures place Florida’s energy consumption as third highest in the nation. As bleak as this may sound, the flipside is that it also creates opportunities for South Florida community associations to save money by addressing their energy use.
It’s an idea whose time must come. Focusing on energy (and water) usage and its conservation in the State of Florida is to many an interesting and thought-provoking prospect, and it is now one that has a very real and tangible facet for communities managed by FirstService Residential.
FS Energy – the energy management division of FirstService Residential – recently launched an industry-leading energy management program exemplified by its Energy Report Card. The program benchmarks a FirstService-managed building’s energy costs and usage against others’ to create a proprietary Building Energy Rating Guide (BERG) score. Analyzing a building’s energy performance and typology, and then comparing it to similar communities, yields a BERG score on a scale of 1 (least efficient) to 10 (most efficient). The results shine a light on cost-saving opportunities for managers and Boards, and FS Energy offers them solutions.
“The Energy Report Card is an important first step for our communities interested in saving money and energy,” said Chris Normandeau, Director of FS Energy in Florida.
“In many buildings, a low BERG score highlights where opportunities to save energy exist. In buildings that have implemented energy consumption measures recommended by FS Energy, the usages from last year and this year will show the difference, many times a substantial one.”
This energy program initiated by FirstService Residential will reduce operating costs by nearly $11 million next year across its portfolio of managed communities. As FS Energy’s Energy Report Card program gains momentum in the coming years, more and more FirstService Residential communities will witness energy savings on paper and in their bank accounts, yielding a “greener” community overall.
“FS Energy’s goal is to help communities find the right energy savings solutions and provide this type of energy consultation at no cost to the community,” said Normandeau.
For more information on FirstService Residential’s benchmarking program, contact Chris Normandeau at chris.normandeau@fsresidential.com or visit www.fsresidential.com.
