Companies can save money by incentivizing maintenance staff to save energy.
Here is one way that maintenance technicians can really see the savings. Simple observations and reviewing strategies for common preventive maintenance duties is something that will show up on the bottom line.
Buckingham Companies and its staff are taking this approach to another level in 2009 by providing cash bonuses to maintenance technicians who conserve energy.
The Indianapolis-based company, with 17,000 units in more than 100 communities spread over six Midwest states, will track energy consumption on a same-store, year-over-year and quarter-over-quarter basis and reward their maintenance teams accordingly.
“If our maintenance teams are helping us save money, they should be able to share in those savings,” said Alex Jackiw, President, Buckingham Companies.
Jackiw estimates that utilities (power, water and natural gas) account for 25 percent of Buckingham’s operating costs. Managing these costs, especially during unit turns and retrofit projects, will help a great deal.
Jackiw said Buckingham is able to measure energy usage and costs for vacant units compared to those that are occupied.
“There are easy things that technicians and their supervisors can do such as making sure lights in units are not left on or re-setting the thermostats on water heaters and refrigerators in units that are not occupied,” Jackiw said. “But there are so many ways, and if you stop and think about them and do them, the cost savings really add up.”
Jackiw said maintenance teams can start by monitoring the habits of their contractors. For example, painters who are cleaning their paint brushes should not simply place them in sinks under running water for an unnecessarily long time.
Among other energy saving strategies for observant technicians are to notice and examine standing water on patios or other surfaces; check dripping hose bibs near faucets that residents use when washing their cars; monitor water use by irrigation systems; check photocells for stuck-on bubble gum, which can cause illumination during daylight hours; continually review routine maintenance checklists for creative energy-saving opportunities; and troubleshoot pool drains when their water levels drop unexpectedly.
Jackiw said she came up with the incentive program based on the curriculum she recently developed for a Residential Property Management-degree course she taught at Ball State University called “What Impact Maintenance Technicians Have on an Operating Budget.”
Paul R. Bergeron III is NAA’s Director of Communications. He can be reached at paul@naahq.org or 703/797-0606.