by Brianna Crandall — March 14, 2016—A recently published resource by Software Advice, a Web site where facilities managers can compare software, examines the importance of tracking energy use and how modern technology can help managers reduce costs while increasing efficiency.
The article, by Taylor Short, features insights as well as tips from industry experts on how software features can help streamline facilities management energy efficiency and benefit businesses that integrate this technology.
It also includes a tool to calculate a company’s annual cost of energy per square foot and compares it to the national average for commercial buildings.
Energy costs account for a huge portion of a company’s annual expenditures, and 30 percent of energy used in a commercial building is wasted, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). For facilities managers, this is an opportunity to save money and boost building efficiency.
To reduce these costs effectively, facilities personnel can use energy management tools in a computer-aided FM (CAFM) or enterprise asset management (EAM) system, according to the article. These tools allow users to track energy costs of entire buildings and individual floors or even specific assets, so that managers can spot exactly where energy is being wasted.
Without data showing which compressor or HVAC unit or floor of a building is using more energy than others, managers will struggle to reduce energy waste, points out the site.
Software Advice has analysts who are available to offer free consultations by phone for those seeking CAFM / EAM software with energy management functionality.
Software Advice is part of Gartner, an information technology (IT) research and advisory company. It provides detailed reviews and research on thousands of software applications as well as consultations.
“4 Steps to Improve Your Facility’s Energy Efficiency,” by Taylor Short, is available on the Software Advice Web site.
