Plantation, FL-based property-management firm Pointe Group Advisors has been awarded the first ENERGY STAR of 2009 for its building located in Plantation, FL. The ENERGY STAR is the national mark of excellence in energy performance and it identifies the Balfour Beatty Center as being one of the most efficient buildings in the region.
Devon Newton, the building’s property manager, believes that reducing energy consumption can have several immediate benefits. “Conserving energy not only helps the environment, but also provides financial relief to our tenants by lowering the building’s operating expenses. Utility bills are one of the largest expenses at a commercial property. We’ve found that we can lower those expenses and provide a cleaner, healthier working environment by making a few ‘no-cost’ or ‘low-cost’ changes.” According to Newton, monthly energy bills at the property were reduced by 8 percent with an estimated annual savings of more than $30,000.
To accomplish its energy-reduction goals, Pointe Group adjusted lighting timers, reconfigured the building’s energy-management system to a more aggressive schedule, and installed occupancy sensors in all restrooms, janitor’s closets, and the mail room. Since being good stewards of the environment isn’t based solely on reducing energy consumption, Pointe Group took additional steps and implemented an office-recycling program, they transitioned to green cleaning and they purchased a “bulb eater” that safely recycles fluorescent light bulbs by capturing and removing dangerous mercury contained within the bulbs.
In addition to other energy-saving programs already established, such as using energy-efficient fluorescent T8s and LED exit signs throughout the building, its no-cost and low-cost contributions allowed it to save enough energy to increase the property’s baseline energy rating of 65 in August 2007 and obtain an energy rating of 75 by April of 2008 – an increase large enough to qualify the building for the prestigious ENERGY STAR award.
To achieve its energy goals, Pointe Group utilized the free resources provided on the ENERGY STAR website. The site allows users to enter their building’s energy information and track usage. With helpful tips from the website and information provided in the free webinars, Pointe Group gained insight into how to reduce consumption, and also learned the steps that would be required once it was ready to apply. There are also posters, tip cards, and other educational materials on the website that can be downloaded and distributed to help spread the word about saving energy.
