Why Smart Energy Matters

Commercial, industrial and municipal buildings are dumb, inefficient and, above all, wasteful. If you own or manage a building (or a portfolio of buildings), you are unnecessarily wasting money every day.

Dr. Amory Lovins, chairman and chief scientist of the Rocky Mountain Institute, quantifies the potential:

There are abundant opportunities to save 70% to 90% of the energy and cost for lighting, fan, and pump systems; 50% for electric motors; and 60% in areas such as heating, cooling, office equipment, and appliances.

Abundant and immediate savings. Here are additional reasons why smart energy matters:

• An estimated 97% of buildings lack controls or automation. For these building owners, energy use is invisible: Owners do not know where, when and at what cost their buildings are consuming electricity.
• Energy demand and utility rates continue to increase, while incentives to reduce energy use proliferate.
• In the U.S., the energy cost to light and cool buildings is approximately $100 billion per year, and experts believe there is an immediate opportunity to reduce energy bills by 50% of more. That's $50 billion per year in wasteful spending -- or, potential savings.

Andre de Fontaine, Markets and Business Strategy Fellow at the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, recently presented the Seven Habits of Highly Efficient Companies:

• Efficiency is a core strategy for the company
• Leadership and organizational support is real and sustained
• Energy efficiency (EE) goals are SMART: specific, measurable, accountable, robust, and time-bound
• The company uses an effective EE tracking and performance measurement system
• The organization puts substantial and sustained resources into efficiency
• The EE strategy shows demonstrated results
• The company communicates about EE as a core "story"

Is being smart about energy efficiency difficult? No. But it’s not enough to say you can do something – generating measurable, real-time results are the bottom line. For Octus, smart energy works based on our ability to generate significant energy cost savings, while improving the quality of our clients’ facilities, optimizing their operational savings, capitalizing available rebates and incentives, and reducing maintenance costs. Immediately and for years to come.