7 posts tagged “energy management”

Do you have Treasure in your walls?

My Name is Matthew Shields Author of Monergy.  Recently there has been a story in the news about an Ohio contractor that found $180,000.00 in the wall of a home he was renovating.  You hear about stories like this every now and then and I’m sure wonder “Do I have any money in my walls”

During the great depression it was very common for people to stash money away inside of their homes.  This money a lot of times was forgotten about or perhaps something happened to the person who put it there before he ever told anyone.

My company The Emc2 Group is an energy management consulting company.  We do energy evaluations for businesses and companies to determine what they can do to save energy, this directly adds to their bottom line.

As energy prices continue to rise the need to know how your home is using and losing energy is becoming more important.  Your home might very well be pick pocketing you and you have no idea.  When we perform an energy evaluation on your home we use an infrared camera to see inside of your walls.  We can detect not only were your hard earned cash is slipping through the cracks in your home but also

·         any water infiltration that could be damaging the largest investment you will make in your life

·         if you do have water  spilling into your home mold may be an issue, we can see that

·         older wiring with loose joints can cause arching and sparking which will create heat, and can cause a fire.  Did you know that FEMA reports during a typical year, home electrical problems account for 67,800 fires, 485 deaths, and $868 million in property losses. Home electrical wiring causes twice as many fires as electrical appliances. We can see if you have any issues with your wiring

·         Problems with heat ducts that  blow the expensive warm air to places that it doesn’t need to go, Do you have a cold room in your home?  You may have a problem with one of the heat ducts  that feed that room

We literally can see anything that might be hiding inside of your walls, things that can change your life for the better or for worse. 

Our website is www.TheEmc2Group.com.  There is more information there.

If you have any questions contact me through the website or leave a comment below

Matthew Shields

Energy Expert

In order to work up a strategy for more effective energy management, it's essential that people working in different parts of the organization are able to understand each other. It may be tempting to use jargon that is very familiar to you but that may not be easy for the person you are speaking with to understand.

When you are trying to come to an understanding, always keep the other person (the one who is reading or listening to your proposal) in mind. Frame what you are saying in a way that they can grasp what your message is.

For example, if you need to get the attention of upper management or financial people in the organization, focus on how making changes will help the bottom line. Don't just make a statement, show them step-by-step why the organization will save more money by adopting energy efficient Operations and Maintenance practices than by investing in more "hardware." When man-hours in the operations and maintenance department are devoted specifically to improving energy efficiency, they pay for themselves very quickly.

You should also be prepared to point out that when companies attempt to trim the fat by cutting back on staff in Operations and Maintenance, this strategy will backfire. In this scenario, increased utility costs may well exceed savings on wages paid out.

Operations and Maintenance staff take their cue from their supervisors and managers. If someone in one of these positions lets it be known that a certain aspect of the energy management program won't work, then that's exactly what will happen. The staff will make sure that this happens.

The key to putting an effective energy management plan in place is for everyone involved to communicate effectively. This concept is just as true for managers as it is for staff members. If you want to get everyone on board, you need to present the idea from the point of view of WIIFM ("What's In It For Me"). Managers and financial types have their eyes on the bottom line, so make sure they understand the financial advantages to be gained from making changes to the energy program.

Staff members may be concerned about staying employed when the organization is looking at saving money. Once they understand that improved energy efficiency means savings that may mean they are less likely to be laid off, they will be supportive as well.

Matthew Shields

Energy Expert

I have had a number of inquires today about whether or not I train people to become energy managers.  The simple answer is yes I can.  I have developed a training program that is being marketed for electrical contractors.  The reason I chose to focus my efforts on electrical contractors was because they already know and understand the electrical field.  They already have established relationships with clients that are used to dealing with them to repair their electrical system, and I also personally know the business.  I also hold a state of Ohio electrical contractors license. 
The program is not specifically designed to only work for electrical contractors, it would be possible for other building managers, real estate agents, or other construction professionals to also benefit from the training.  The first Seminar is going to be held in Las Vegas on Sat the 24th of January.  If you are interested in the training please visit www.electricalcontractorseminar.com.  You will find more information there, details and specifics of what will be covered, as well as a few surprise tools for you to profit from.

If you have any questions please post them below.  Some other people may have the same question as you do.  I look forward to helping take your business to another level.  Energy management is the future for almost anyone who uses energy, you can be at the for front of this movement

Matthew Shields
Energy Expert

The past few weeks I have been primarily focusing my energy on that of hotel resort & commercial energy management.  But we all can save energy at home as well.  There is good news and bad news to this however.  Bad news is you are not going to have a huge pay off with out investing some money into your home.  There are many products available that can help save energy but with that investment (depending on the area of the country) you will see a longer ROI.   Many times I find that people feel it is a waste of time to take small steps in becoming energy efficient.  People have become so desensitized to money that saving 300-600 dollars a year is not worth their time.  In my way of thinking this is incredably stupid.  People have become accustomed to having things given to them and really don't even want to put forth an effort to save and conserve energy.  Lets picture this another way,  You can see my picture to the left over there some may even know me lets think about this. 

You are walking through your favorate park, it's a beautiful day, slight breeze blowing and the temperture is just right.  As you stroll down the path with leaves crunching under your feet you drift off into thinking about what you love. As you picture yourself sitting on the beach digging your feet into the sand.... picture me handing you 600.00 cash then walking away...feels good right..and that was done just through a thought. 

Many of the ideas to save money on your home energy bills cost next to nothing or are completely free.  Many only require a bit of thought to have that money put back into your pocket.  So now do you like the thought of me handing you 600.00.  Not bad right.  In the coming posts I will focus more on what can be done in the home.  I will hand you money, you just need to think about it....

Matthew Shields
Hotel Resort Energy management

Distributed Energy Resources

Distributed Energy Resources is a relatively new field. Current concerns with transmission grids and the threat of terrorism may well make the idea of buying power from local sources more attractive.

Some companies are buying the right to use stand-by generation from such large users as hospitals, military bases, etc. These organizations have the opportunity to sell some of the power that they are not using. They can still access stand-by power if they need it.

Over the last decade, the trend has moved away from building larger power plants in favor of smaller electric generating units. As a result, an opportunity has come up for organizations to access electricity in this niche market.

 
The cost of electricity produced and delivered can vary a great deal, depending on where it is produced and used. An experimental DER plant built in the late 1980s demonstrated that the value of electrical power can be highest when deployed near the consumer.

The consumer gets the benefit of having a reliable source of continuous power. There are benefits for the utility as well, including reduced electric line losses, and improved grid asset utilization. The DER system is being promoted as an environmentally clean source of electricity.

Have a look over here
Contractor marketing energy expert
Matthew Shields

Yesterday I had a very busy day full of appointments and meeting all day.  My morning consisted of a prebid meeting which are always a barrel of fun, then check up on a project that we have going in town then back to my office to consult with a few clients of mine.
One of the guys I have working for me is filipino he asked if I wanted to get dim sum for lunch??? I said Dim Sum....what the #$%# is that... wait is not dog is it???
For anyone who doesn't know the term I learned yesterday here it is

Dim sum is the name for a Chinese cuisine which involves a wide range of light dishes served alongside Chinese tea. Dishes may include meat, seafood, and vegetables, as well as desserts and fruit. The items are usually served in a small steamer basket or on a small plate. Yum cha (literally "tea drinking") is the term used to describe the dining session, especially in contemporary Cantonese.

What a great treat food was great and I got to try many new things.  For desert (don't ask me any names I have no idea) we had what was explained to me as being sticky rice that was shaped in a ball, with a sweet bean filling inside and sesame seeds on the out side.  Sounds great right...well they were

I was so impressed that decided to bring some sticky bean balls back to the office with me to offer my clients with coffee when they came in. 

One of the biggest problem I have with my clients is getting them to change their way of thinking.  They've done this or that for so many years why should they change now? These are the type I love to have in my door, I've always liked a challenge.  The contractors I saw yesterday each saw my offerings and thought I was crazy didn't want to have anything to do with the sticky bean balls.

I went through my presentation showcasing what we could do for them and how much different it was from what they were doing now. More money, better advertisning, different marketing  They weren't as receptive to some of the ideas as what I may have hoped but then I used what I had just learned earlier in the day and asked them to try something new.  I told them of the new expierence I had with Dim sum and how great it was, that was were the sticky bean balls had come from.  Wouldn't you know they did end up eating the sticky bean balls and now want me to help them market themselves as being energy managers. 

To often people don't what to diviate from what they see as comfortable.  They go through life with blinders on.  How much we miss with tunnel vision.  I urge everyone to take off the blinders and try new things you never know what may happen