Vert Energy Group

Tag: efficiency

  • Building Energy Upgrades

    Building Energy Upgrades

    Coming Soon…

    You may have noticed a new shiny logo on the VertPro main page. If you haven’t seen it yet, then we have exciting news… Vert Energy Group has made the Inc. 5000 list at #1603 for 2021’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies and #23 for the Engineering industry! Each year Inc. 5000 puts together a list of fast-growing companies in the U.S. On top of that, Vert Energy Group is going to be featured on the cover of PropTech Outlook magazine’s “Smart Building Edition.” The magazine is releasing this edition on September 15th. Let us know if you see and/or read it! Between ranking #1603 & #23 on the Inc. 5000 2021 List and landing the cover of PropTech Outlook, that’s TWO amazing new milestones for the Vert Energy Group family made up of all our members and our clients – YOU!

    Vert Energy Group is here today because of YOU! Without the support, empathy, and trust we have received from our countless clients, we wouldn’t have been able to keep going during these difficult times. Achieving these huge milestones does nothing more than fuel us to keep working hard to provide you with quality service. We at Vert Energy Group send our sincerest thank you and gratitude to you for the continued good relations. We look forward to continuing to serve you!

    Benchmarks, Audits, and RCx, what’s next?

    “Better safe than sorry” – Old Proverb

    It’s no secret that California is a hot spot for earthquakes. The U.S. Geological Survey found that the Southern California region alone had a 75% chance of being hit by earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.0 or more in the next 30-years starting in 2014. In response, Los Angeles introduced Ordinance 183893 and 184081 deemed the Los Angeles Soft-Story and Non-Ductile Concrete Retrofit Programs. The goal is simple, reduce structural deficiencies of wood and non-ductile concrete buildings to prevent potential structural failures due to earthquakes. It is important to note that property’s complying with the Non-Ductile Concrete Retrofit Program must meet three milestones upon receipt of notice to comply:

      •  3-year mark: Submit completed checklist for review to determine if the building is considered a non-ductile concrete building

      •  10-year mark: Submit evidence of retrofit and demolition plans – past and future

      •  25-year mark: Complete construction

    While the programs are currently only required for LA properties it is still highly recommended that any property that meets certain building details also perform a retrofit inspection as the property could be vulnerable. These additional criteria are as follows:

      •  Soft-Story Buildings:

            •  Consisting of 2+ stories of wood frame construction

            •  Built and/or approved for the build before January 1, 1978

            •  Containing ground floor park or similar open floor spaces

      •  Non-Ductile Concrete Buildings supported by concrete walls and/or columns

    If you have a property in NYC, you’re probably aware of the seemingly endless list of building requirements such as commonly known Local Laws 84, 33, and 87 and the lesser-known Local Law 11 (LL11) aka the Façade Inspection and Safety Program. Through the LL11, a licensed professional (LP) will conduct and report a thorough evaluation of the conditions of buildings 6-stories or more to the NYC Department of Building every 5-years. The scope of work will account for all visual distresses, structural components, thermal insulation, and HVAC and fire protection systems. Some façade details that your hired LP will look for include, but are not limited to:

      •  Cracks, chipping, abrasions, and peeling

      •  Erosion and corrosion

      •  Efflorescence

      •  Disintegrating, missing, displaced, and budging units/parts

      •  Improper repairs

    *For a full list of features – and their definitions – your LP will inspect your building for, refer to the NYC presentation of LL11 beginning on page 5.

    Any defects found during the inspection must be repaired within 90-days of the report’s filing and amended reports must be filed within 2-weeks of completion of repairs. Upon submission of your LL11, NYC DOB will classify your building as either Safe, Safe With a Repair and Maintenance Program (SWARMP), or Unsafe. Properties that are deemed Unsafe, must install building protection – such as sidewalk sheds or construction fencing – immediately. Like the LL84, 33, and 87 requirements, the LL11 has hefty violation fees:

    Chart 1:

    Reason for Violation                          Cost of Violation

    Late Filing (initial report)                       $1,000/month

    Failure to File (initial report)                     $5,000/year

    Failure to correct unsafe conditions       See Chart 2

    Failure to correct SWARMP conditions      $2,000

    Chart 2:

    Failure to Correct Unsafe Conditions               Cost of Violation

    Year 1                  $1,000/month

    Year 2           $1,000/month + $10/linear foot of shed/month

    Year 3           $1,000/month + $20/linear foot of shed/month

    Year 4           $1,000/month + $30/linear foot of shed/month

    Year 5           $1,000/month + $40/linear foot of shed/month

    Upon reaching 40-years or older, buildings in Miami-Dade, FL are recommended to perform recertification on the building to ensure continued safety. The Miami-Dade Recertification must be completed by a registered Florida LP such as an architect or engineer. During the recertification, your hired LP must evaluate the condition of the building’s general structure and electrical systems to determine its safety for occupants. A thorough report must be conducted to include and identify each building on a property. Building inspections conducted will include:

      •  A visual examination of all habitable and non-habitable areas

      •  Testing and analysis of onsite and system procedures

      •  Manual sampling and/or testing where visual examinations are unable to provide sufficient information

    *For a full breakdown of inspection requirements and definitions, refer to pages 1-6 of the Miami-Dade application/form.

    All discoveries during the examination must consider how the movement of structural components and the deterioration and age of materials correlate with one another. Final reports must be submitted within 90-days upon notice to comply and must clearly provide evidence to support the classification of the building’s current level of safety: Safe, Unsafe, Safe with Qualifications, or Safe by Restrictive Interpretation. Failure to submit your Miami-Dade Recertification on time can result in a fine of up to $10,510 and any building deemed unsafe will be vacated and potentially demolished. There are potential exemptions and extensions provided which can be located on the official Miami-Dade site.

    Fun Fact:

    Professor Henry Fielding Reid of John Hopkins University created the Elastic Rebound Theory as a result of his findings from the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake

    The Great 1906 San Francisco EarthQuake

    San Francisco EarthQuake

    In the early morning of April 18, 1906, a 7.7-8.3 magnitude earthquake shook the San Francisco Bay area. In the aftermath of the earthquake, fires spread throughout the city due to damages and unsafe construction of buildings done intentionally by city officials and contractors to save money. To make matters worse, broken water mains made it difficult for firefighters to fight the spreading fires. According to History.com, by the time the fire department was able to get control over the fires, nearly 30,000 buildings had been destroyed and roughly 3,000 people had died. The catastrophic damages caused by the earthquake and fires served as a rude awakening to city officials nationwide about the importance of ensuring the safety of buildings and their occupants through regular building evaluations and upgrades.

    Fun Fact:

    The first recorded Labor Day was celebrated in 1882 which was 31-years before the U.S. Department of Labor was formed in 1913.

    Thank You for Your Hard Work

    Labor Day Labor activists Peter J. McGuire and Matthew Maguire hold an equal claim to the proposition of Labor Day. The idea was to have a single day where Americans paid tribute to and celebrated all the contributions workers across the U.S. made to better the country. In 1887 Labor Day became officially recognized when Oregon passed a law stating February 21 as Labor Day. Other states slowly followed suit before Congress finally passed the law making the first September of each year the official Labor Day nationwide on June 28, 1894. While Labor Day was not officially recognized as a nationwide holiday till 1894, the first recorded celebration of Labor Day was September 5, 1882, in New York. The U.S. Department of Labor notes that celebrations began at 10:00 am with a parade of 10,000-20,000 working men and woman through Manhattan and lasted till 9:00 pm in Reservoir Park where 25,000 people gathered for “speeches, a picnic, an abundance of cigars, and ‘Lager beer kegs.. mounted in every conceivable place.” Since then, Labor Day festivities are less about union speeches and parades and more about cookouts, pool parties, and Labor Day Sales. Regardless, it’s important to remember the origins of the day and honor the working people.  
    Mid-Autumn Festival

    Danielle’s Corner

    Mid-Autumn Festival Autumn is here which means the Mid-Autumn Festival is around the corner. In Chinese culture, the Mid-Autumn Festival, aka the Moon Festival, is held on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese calendar. Given this, the date is constantly changing – this year it’s September 21st in case you were curious. The Moon Festival dates back to Ancient China when emperors and commoners would worship the moon and the moon goddess, 嫦娥 (Chang’e), through offerings. Typical celebrations include lighting lanterns, going to see the dragon dances and fireworks, and having a family meal around a round table. When I was younger my older brother convinced me that the dragons were real and random spectators would be eaten for luck. Unfortunately, because of my brother’s white lie, I forbade my family from ever attending the dragon dances. However, I wholeheartedly agreed to family dinners around our tiny dining table. To this day my favorite part of the meal is the mooncakes symbolizing the prosperity and reunion of the family. Every Moon Festival – and Lunar New Year – my dad buys mooncakes filled with sweet red bean paste and a center of salted duck egg yolk representing the full moon. My mom and siblings aren’t fans of mooncakes which meant more for me. Nowadays you can find various mooncake fillings ranging from sweet (red bean, lotus seed, fruits, chocolate, and green tea) to savory (meats and seafood) so there’s something for everyone! If you’ve never had a mooncake, I definitely recommend heading to your local Asian market or bakery to pick some up this month. From me to you, 中秋快乐 or Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!  
    Want your Make Your Building Green? Get an Energy Audit! »

    Find Applicable Energy Laws Search by Zip to Find Applicable Energy Laws

    There are over 30 cities/states with Energy Benchmark requirements – 16 have Energy Audit requirements as well! Use this free tool to check if your building has an upcoming Energy Benchmark or Energy Audit deadline.

    FIND OUT HERE »
  • Budgeting for Benchmarking and Beyond

    Budgeting for Benchmarking and Beyond

    Energy Efficiency Costs

    Maintaining the Energy Efficiency of your buildings can appear costly when you’re not planning ahead. There’s the yearly Benchmark filing followed by the 5-10 year Audit and RetroCommissioning (RCx) reports and finally the upgrades and projects you need to complete based on the results of your Audits and RCx. While it’s relatively easy to account for the annual filings, the Audit and RCxs can sneak up on you. In the worst-case scenario, one of your building’s operational systems breaks and needs to be repaired or upgraded immediately. If you haven’t set aside the necessary funds, you’ll most likely find yourself in a pinch.

    Planning Ahead

    “All the things I could do if I had a little money…” – ABBA

    One of the easiest, and best, ways to begin budgeting for your Energy needs is to include it in your Capital Expenditures (CapEx). According to Investopedia, capital expenditures are important for two key reasons:

    •  The funds help to maintain a building and its equipment
    • Allows you to “invest in new technology and other assets for growth”

    As a reminder, Benchmarking and Audits/RCxs quite literally track your buildings’ Energy consumptions and needs to be upgraded. By this logic, Benchmarking and Audits/RCxs are investments in a building’s maintenance and growth.

    There are a few things to consider when setting up your capital expenditures year-to-year. Firstly, your capital expenditures are not to be confused with your operating expenses. The capital expenditures pertain to expenses that do not occur on a regular basis – such as building upgrades. Conversely, operating expenses deal with your regular or frequent expenses – think utility bills and rent. It’s important to keep your capital and operational expenditures separate so as to avoid confusion or issues.

    Based on your yearly Benchmark reports, you will see your Energy Score increase, stay the same, or drop. If your building’s Energy Score begins to drop, that’s a good indication to start prepping your CapEx as there’s a high chance that your building’s operations need to be upgraded. Many Audit/RCx deadlines for city and state ordinances fall around the end of the year, so conducting your Audit and planning your capital expenditures go hand-in-hand.

    An Audit/RCx conducted by a licensed professional (LP) is the best way to pinpoint the exact cause for your decreased Energy Score. The finalized Audit/RCx report will provide you with areas for improvement and projected costs for those projects that will save you money and energy in the long run. Potential areas of improvement include, but are not limited to, your building’s HVAC, Lighting, Automation, and Solar systems. Based on these findings, your company will be able to implement a minimum and maximum budget to encompass immediate and maintenance expenses. Investopedia states that common capital expenditure plans are “constructed to over a period of five to 10 years” thus serving as “a company’s ‘five-year plan’ or long-term goals.” As Audits and RCx are only conducted every 5-10 years, it is pertinent that you’re including the head of daily operations in CapEx discussions for your building as they are the most knowledgeable on building issues and repairs. By consulting an LP and your head of daily operations will ensure that the appropriate funds are allocated for your capital expenditures.

    Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.” – Russell Baker

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    Surviving the Summer Heat

    Summer heat is in full swing and rising, but that doesn’t mean your energy bills have to increase. There are still many ways to stay cool without racking up the costs. Monitoring your AC and fans’ usage is one of the simplest ways to be energy efficient. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again if you have a smart thermostat make use of it. The Department of Energy found that setting your thermostat 7-10 degrees lower than the outdoor temperature can save up to 10% on AC expenses each year. With that in mind, set your thermostat to kick in when it reaches a certain temperature – for example, 78 degrees – and be sure to turn this feature off when no one’s home to ensure energy is not being wasted cooling an empty home. Keep in mind that the lower the temperature setting, the lower the settings so if you’re at 72 degrees, then you’ll only be saving up to 3% on AC expenses. You also want to be sure that your AC vents are regularly cleaned and dust-free to ensure optimal airflow. If the AC vents are dusty, it’s going to block the cool air trying to get out and you’ll find yourself trying to lower the temperature more and more to feel the effects. The lower the setting, the more your AC is going to have to work and the higher your energy bills.

    Department of EnergyAccording to the Department of Energy, 90% of the energy from incandescent lights is actually just the heat with the remaining 10% being actual light. Crazy right? Needless to say, if you’re using incandescent lighting, you might want to keep those off and use natural lighting while the sun’s out unless you want to raise the room’s temperature. A better option would be to switch to LED lighting as they generally give off low amounts of heat. There’s the added bonus that in comparison to incandescent lighting, LEDs use significantly less energy and last significantly longer – 75% less and 25 times longer respectively. Switching to LED will ensure no additional heat is being generated while helping you save money. It’s a win-win.

     

    Moving Past COVID

    Benchmark and Audit/RCx deadlines

    Many cities have begun to reopen and resume normal operations thus resulting in the reinforcement of Energy ordinances and programs*. As many cities and states start to reinstate their original, pre-pandemic Benchmark and Audit/RCx deadlines, it is important to note that there will also be less leniency. That means, deadlines will be enforced and penalties will be distributed as cities and states see fit. Vert Energy Group has continued to work through these unprecedented times to ensure we’re staying up-to-date with any and all changes made to the various nationwide Energy ordinances. If you’re finding yourself in the position to begin filing again, we’re here for you. Head over to VertPro.com to begin meeting your Benchmark, Audit, and RCx, and/or building upgrade needs. If you’re unsure if your city or state has reinstated your local Energy programs, our support team can help you via email at support@vertpro.com and by phone at 800-585-2690.

    *Please note at the time of drafting this section things were beginning to open up. Check with your city’s or state’s guidelines for the most up-to-date information.

    Fun Fact: In Northern Australia, the first Monday in August marks the public holiday “Picnic Day

    Back-to-School Season

    Danielle’s Corner

    Back-to-School Season…

    August marks back-to-school season! Hopefully the activities I shared in our June and July Vert Report helped keep your little ones occupied all summer long. Now I’m here to help you face the back-to-school shopping nightmare. When I was a struggling college student, I used to hit up my local malls to see what deals they had going on. Pre-COVID, the Irvine Spectrum in Irvine, CA used to handed out little booklets full of coupons to use at participating stores and restaurants and held summer night events in August. This provided a great way to stock up on back-to-school supplies and clothes while getting your grub on and attending fun events. The Irvine Spectrum has yet to announce any fun back-to-school event, but you can always do your own little celebration to make the process fun for your kiddos.

    Start your day off hitting the back-to-school sales and reward yourself and/or your family with a yummy meal out. And remember, shop for EnergySTAR certified electronics to ensure energy efficiency year-round. If you’re unsure if a product is EnergyStar certified simply look for the official logo or double-check the EnergySTAR website. If you spot any great back-to-school deals for EnergyStar products, share them with the Vert Energy Group community on our Facebook and LinkedIn or find us on Instagram. We’re all one big community, so let’s continue to help one another out!

    Want your Make Your Building Green? Get an Energy Audit! »

    Find Applicable Energy Laws Search by Zip to Find Applicable Energy Laws

    There are over 30 cities/states with Energy Benchmark requirements – 16 have Energy Audit requirements as well! Use this free tool to check if your building has an upcoming Energy Benchmark or Energy Audit deadline.

    FIND OUT HERE »