By Wayne T. Hudson, LEED AP The term “sustainable construction” has become a buzzword these days, and as such it’s often misused and misunderstood. For instance, a building that is considered “green” because it is designed to be healthy for the people who work in it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s energy efficient. The gold standard […]
01
Feb
How to Ensure a Good Contractor Experience
By Wayne T. Hudson, LEED AP Have you ever had “buyer’s remorse” when it comes to hiring a contractor to do an energy upgrade? Do you think, why doesn’t this feel like an improvement? And where are the “savings” in my energy savings performance contract? The key to avoiding such feelings (along with any inherent […]
12
Jan
Cut Energy Consumption, Boost Savings Through ‘Recommissioning’
By Wayne T. Hudson, LEED AP There are many things you can do to optimize your building’s energy performance, in order to maximize savings and reduce waste. Replacing old boilers and chillers is certainly one way to do it. But you don’t need to take such a drastic, and often expensive, step if you don’t […]
18
Nov
Do I Need an Owner’s Representative?
By Wayne T. Hudson, LEED AP As a facilities management expert, you have many responsibilities and your main focus is and should be the outcome of a construction project — the building. Therefore, dealing with the details of the construction process, such as managing an energy performance improvement project — from soliciting bids and managing […]
08
Jan
Why You Should Hire an ESCO
By Wayne T. Hudson, LEED AP An energy service company, or ESCO, is a private company that develops, installs, and arranges financing for projects designed to improve the energy efficiency and maintenance costs for facilities over a set time period, usually between seven and 20 years. ESCOs generally act as project developers for a wide […]
09
Dec
Three Tips for Creating a More Profitable EPC
By Wayne T. Hudson, LEED AP Most owners are used to doing all the planning and spec work when it comes to repairing or renovating a building. But energy work is different, and there are many opportunities for savings that can be missed if you don’t know what you are looking for. Here are five […]
05
Dec
Being Green IS Easy for Your Building
By Wayne T. Hudson, LEED AP According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), commercial buildings are some of the biggest energy consumers — as well as sources of wasted energy — in the country. In fact, buildings account for: 36 percent of total energy use and 65 percent of electricity consumption; 30 percent of waste […]
05
Dec
Take the Lead with LEED Certification
By Wayne T. Hudson, LEED AP Achieving LEED certification is not the headache you once thought it was. In fact, it’s one of the simplest and best ways for you to demonstrate that your building project is truly “green.” The Standard for Sustainability LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, has become the recognized […]