Any apt manangers or property mgmt people?

[NeoPTLD]

I live in a condo and I just got a letter that summarizes the association fees collected and costs incurred. We've common water/sewer, cable TV and trash. Electricity is independently paid by unit residents, but commons area electricity is covered through association fees.

The annual electricity cost is $7,000 and there are 30 units here which comes to about $20 per apt unit per month. This is about 1/3 of my summer time power bill. Why is there so much electricity being consumed in the commons(hallway+ parking + a few security lighting and elevator) area?

I am hoping someone who manages apt or other property can comment on which is responsible for the largest portion of power.

The garage is lit with those orangish sodium lights 24/7/365. All the hallway lights are light sensor activated and stays on all night. The hallway lighting is all incandescent. The bulb burns out quite often which brings annual maintenance fee up to $180.

I think the lights are using the most energy and I believe there's a potential to save a lot of cost by having half of garage lights shut off when there is sunlight beaming through the ventilation fence and converting all the hallway lights with fluorescent.

Any clue?

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: NeoPTLD
I live in a condo and I just got a letter that summarizes the association fees collected and costs incurred. We've common water/sewer, cable TV and trash. Electricity is independently paid by unit residents, but commons area electricity is covered through association fees.

The annual electricity cost is $7,000 and there are 30 units here which comes to about $20 per apt unit per month. This is about 1/3 of my summer time power bill. Why is there so much electricity being consumed in the commons(hallway+ parking + a few security lighting and elevator) area?

I am hoping someone who manages apt or other property can comment on which is responsible for the largest portion of power.

The garage is lit with those orangish sodium lights 24/7/365. All the hallway lights are light sensor activated and stays on all night. The hallway lighting is all incandescent. The bulb burns out quite often which brings annual maintenance fee up to $180.

I think the lights are using the most energy and I believe there's a potential to save a lot of cost by having half of garage lights shut off when there is sunlight beaming through the ventilation fence and converting all the hallway lights with fluorescent.

Any clue?

Here at The Watergate Homeowners Association, we do that, plus we dropped the hallway heaters to 65, I believe. I think the heater is drastically reduced for the pool in the winter as well.
You are correct about the lighting , though. Convert from incandescent asap.

 

[NeoPTLD]

Any clue?

Here at The Watergate Homeowners Association, we do that, plus we dropped the hallway heaters to 65, I believe. I think the heater is drastically reduced for the pool in the winter as well.
You are correct about the lighting , though. Convert from incandescent asap.[/quote]

Our hallways are exposed to outdoor air and not heated.

How much power do you think elevator consumes?

If all lights were to be converted to fluorescent, how much savings can be anticipated? I don't think the capital cost of upgrade is cheap, so it would have to involve considerable increase in association fee which people will not agree with or do so on credit and evaluate if it saves any money even when interest is being paid on credit.

Do you believe there might be a subsidy from the city for going energy efficient?

 

[z0mb13]

Originally posted by: AlienCraft

Originally posted by: NeoPTLD
I live in a condo and I just got a letter that summarizes the association fees collected and costs incurred. We've common water/sewer, cable TV and trash. Electricity is independently paid by unit residents, but commons area electricity is covered through association fees.

The annual electricity cost is $7,000 and there are 30 units here which comes to about $20 per apt unit per month. This is about 1/3 of my summer time power bill. Why is there so much electricity being consumed in the commons(hallway+ parking + a few security lighting and elevator) area?

I am hoping someone who manages apt or other property can comment on which is responsible for the largest portion of power.

The garage is lit with those orangish sodium lights 24/7/365. All the hallway lights are light sensor activated and stays on all night. The hallway lighting is all incandescent. The bulb burns out quite often which brings annual maintenance fee up to $180.

I think the lights are using the most energy and I believe there's a potential to save a lot of cost by having half of garage lights shut off when there is sunlight beaming through the ventilation fence and converting all the hallway lights with fluorescent.

Any clue?

Here at The Watergate Homeowners Association, we do that, plus we dropped the hallway heaters to 65, I believe. I think the heater is drastically reduced for the pool in the winter as well.
You are correct about the lighting , though. Convert from incandescent asap.

wow I lived at anchor drive for a year!! which street r u on??

 

[FuzzyBee]

Are the garage or hallways heavily exposed to the outside? If they are, and it gets cold, you'll have very little light coming out of fluorescent tubes.

How tall is your building? Is the elevator used often? Are all of these on the same meter? Perhaps you can get a breakdown of the costs by meter, and use that to see what can be cut down on.

 

[StageLeft]

Sounds like a lot of cashola!

 

[NeoPTLD]

Originally posted by: fuzzy bee
Are the garage or hallways heavily exposed to the outside? If they are, and it gets cold, you'll have very little light coming out of fluorescent tubes.

[/b]

This is Portland Oregon. You don't quite have to worry about cold interfering with fluorescent lighting here. It's not that cold. It seldom dips below 32F. Since most fluorescent fixture encloses the lamps inside the cover, it should be able to build up enough heat to keep itself running efficiently.

How tall is your building? Is the elevator used often? Are all of these on the same meter? Perhaps you can get a breakdown of the costs by meter, and use that to see what can be cut down on.

3 floors. I don't know how they're metered.