Energy efficiency is a popular modern concern. It’s important to multifamily property owners for a variety of reasons. First, many current laws encourage energy efficiency upgrades. Many power and water companies offer rebates and other financial incentives for installing energy efficient upgrades to homes. For multifamily construction property owners who are concerned about the environment, they can make a difference by investing in these types of technologies. Finally, it makes good financially in the long run. Water, heating and gas bills will be much lower which will make the multifamily property much more profitable.
An experienced multifamily contractor can give you advice about which upgrades will provide you with the most benefits. A project manager can help you make a long-term plan for upgrading various parts of your property over the long term. He or she will probably recommend that you replace the oldest pieces of equipment first. Another common recommendation is to do some of the easiest fixes first.
Old equipment like outdated furnaces can seriously affect your energy efficiency. Older furnaces and boilers can be considerably less efficient than modern systems. Some low-efficiency systems can run as low as 65%. You will quickly realize your return on investment as modern gas or oil furnaces range from 80 to 98%. New gas or oil burners can run at efficiencies from 80% to 98%. This can significantly reduce your bills quickly. You may also receive rebates.
Your multifamily contractor will make additional recommendations for addressing energy concerns. Are your windows tightly fitted? Can you feel air coming through the sides of the windows? If so, it may be time to replace your windows. Your multifamily units can lose a lot of heat and cooling through windows that don’t fit properly. It may also be a good idea to invest in energy-rated window coverings. These can block cold air and keep rooms from overheating in the summer.
Other issues to consider are unit doors which can allow heat and cool air to escape. Are your buildings properly insulated? Solar energy is a big investment but can provide big payoffs. There are many big and small ways your can increase your buildings’ energy efficiency.