Five Reasons Your Community Needs To Be Energy Efficient (and How to Get There)
As we move into 2021, energy efficiency is one tool that can help senior living communities reduce costs, expand resources, and generate more move-ins.
Nearly 10 years ago, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that Americans had saved $24 billion through energy efficiency efforts; and the move to go green has increased in scope and popularity over the years.
Below are five reasons you should prioritize energy efficiency efforts now. Pi can show you how, whether you’re building a new community or looking for ways to update an existing one.
1. You can offer state-of-the-art, affordable amenities such as roofs that reduce heat buildup and well-insulated walls and windows. The result is lower costs for future maintenance, repairs, and replacement.
2. Highly functional kitchens with attractive, energy efficient appliances are increasingly appealing to seniors, most of whom want to stay active, entertain friends and families, and keep utility bills down.
Americans save billions through energy efficiency efforts; and the move to “go green” continues to grow in popularity.
3. Savings from intelligent energy management can range from 15% to 20% of total utility and energy consumption costs. You can do more with less, and you can put savings into other amenities that will attract move-ins, such as state-of-the-art gyms and physical therapy rooms, varied and high-end dining options, and fully equipped art studios and business centers.
4. Efforts such as efficient HVAC contribute to both resident comfort and health. At the same time, efforts such as lighting controls and refrigeration monitoring enable better medication adherence and food safety.
5. Energy efficiency is better for staff as well. For example, smart sensors in call lights improve staff attentiveness. At the same time, like residents, staff benefit from HVAC and air filtration systems that keep bacteria and contaminants out of the environment.
In addition to these benefits, reliable, energy-efficient systems and appliances also lessen the need for your staff to enter residents’ homes. This reduces opportunities for cross-contamination and the spread of illnesses and infections. The pandemic has demonstrated how important this is.
Making a commitment to energy efficiency is more than lip service and a few simple changes. For instance, the Westminster senior living community in Central Austin, which Pi designed, is currently going through the Austin Energy Green Building (AEGB) rating program, which is similar to the LEED rating program. This program evaluates the sustainability of buildings. It also cultivates innovation in building for the enrichment of a community’s environmental, economic, and human well-being.
Get an A-Plus with Energy Audit
Now that energy efficiency is on your radar, where do you start? An energy audit can help determine whether and where you building/community waists energy and where energy is being lost so you can target areas for improvement.
Energy audits can be burdensome and even frustrating. However, they can help you identify and reach energy efficiency goals that can safe big money. For instance, new lighting and HVAC systems can help save thousands. And replacing things like the heat pump system with state-of-the-art touch screen energy management systems can save money and make routine maintenance simpler and less time-consuming.
Consider using an energy audit as a way to engage and educate residents as well. You can help them understand how energy upgrades/changes save them and the community money and help the environment.
Pi’s MEP Engineers offer commissioning and energy audits as tandem services. Energy audits identify areas for improving the energy efficiency of a building, while commissioning proves out that a new building is operating as energy efficiently as designed. Contact Sam Swinback at Pi for more information.
After you’ve made some energy efficient changes, don’t forget to promote that you are a “smart” community in your marketing materials. Explain what this is and what it means to residents.
Contact us here or call us at 512-231-1910.
