As owners and individuals look to “go green”, they are finding much confusion in how to get there. Logically, they are often looking for outside consultation by “Energy Experts” to help. But what makes someone an “Energy Expert” or makes a company an “Energy Company” or “Energy Services Provider”? Is the “Energy Industry” a new industry that requires new types of companies, experts, and tools or is it an existing industry that just needs to be tapped to accomplish the job?
Just like “Green” the term “Energy Expert” is so broad, it makes the decision of finding an Energy Services provider daunting.
Energy Service Providers and Their Promises
Like me, you may be amazed at how many “Energy Service Providers” or “Energy Companies” have sprung up overnight to address the growing need for energy efficiency and to gain some of the many dollars in wasted energy, as well as the many dollars of Government subsidies headed towards Energy related projects. Despite the fact that energy efficiency has been a major issue for decades, the current climate and media hype have created a new Gold Rush around energy and it seems everyone, whether qualified or not, is racing to stake their claim.
The climate is exciting and warranted, the potential for whole scale positive change is huge, however, we should be reminded that there is an equally large potential for failed promises and consumer abuse to occur as our society works to tackle the problems associated with our Energy needs.
One only has to look back to the Energy crisis of the 70s to see the potential for this to occur once again. For example, while performance contracting has been around for decades, the term is once again being tossed around to a new generation of owners and energy managers as if it is a cure for all that ails. This despite performance contracts of the 70s that many times did not produce the promised results and led to the era of Sick Building Syndrome where indoor air quality and comfort were sacrificed for energy savings.
Don’t get me wrong, there is a definite and growing need for performance contracting in this new energy age, but we must distinguish between the “marketing” of performance contracting and the “performance” of performance contracting. That is, the difference between those who are selling a financial Performa and those who are creating sustainable environments that meet all aspects of building performance including, life cycle costs, indoor air quality, comfort, etc.
In this upcoming series of blogs, I will try to address the following questions:
•What does it take to be an “Energy Services Provider” today?
•What types of companies are presenting themselves as “Energy Companies” or “Energy Services Providers” and what are the Pros and Cons of each.
•What are you not considering in your energy plan?
•Does LEED accreditation guarantee me an “Energy Expert”?
We would like this to be an interactive and educational blog, so please post your comments including your personal experiences, ideas and suggestions.
Richard Perko, P.E.
President