For a multifamily apartment building, creating an accurate benchmark of utility consumption can be hampered by inability to access data from tenant-paid spaces.  In order to track and analyze the way that a building is using water and energy, a property owner or manager must reach out to tenants, requesting usage histories for the spaces they occupy.

Whole-building electricity usage (kWh/sf) involves both common-area usage (green) and tenant-usage.  Note how the vast majority of usage comes from tenant-spaces, and that the least-efficient tenant here (yellow) uses more than triple the electricity as the most efficient (dark blue).

Besides contributing to the design aesthetic and general coziness of a room, window treatments help minimize heat transfer from windows. Drapes, blinds, shutters and shades can all block sunlight from heating up the house on hot days and keep warm or cool air from escaping through leaky windows. Some materials do a better job than others.

Deadlines for several building energy disclosure laws are right around the corner. April 1 is the deadline for San Francisco, CA and Seattle, WA.  New York City and Cambridge, MA are coming up on May 1, with Boston, MA on May 15. Are you impacted by these compliance laws? This quick reference guide to energy disclosure laws gives you an overview of current policies, deadlines, and fines so you can be prepared (and even sign up for our compliance service).

Tenant turnover isn't cheap. "Creature comfort" complaints around heating and cooling shouldn't be treated as simple maintenance issues, but as potentially negative impacts to the bottom line. Taking steps to increase tenant comfort is an important preventative step in operational planning.

Water consumption in multifamily buildings can be staggering. In fact, our database of over 26,000 buildings shows that water costs account for one third of utility spending. Learn how to benchmark your water usage and see how targeted retrofits equate to big improvements on net operating income.

WegoWise presents March 3-5 at NESEA's BuildingEnergy 15. Learn more about this event attended by 3,500 engaged building professionals who are shaping the vision of a sustainable built environment, and register today with these exclusive discount codes. 

For Valentine's Day, we're bringing you our picks for the best energy efficiency blogs. Some highlight green living, while others focus on sustainable technology, building energy laws, and state benchmarks. Here are our favorite green blogs that not only share energy-saving tips and give insights for the built environment, but also feature upcoming events, videos, environmental programs, and the latest news in the green energy sector.

With some of the coldest temperatures and record-setting snowfall pounding the U.S., many building owners are looking closely at their energy usage. Catching energy spikes is important to decrease utility costs, improve ROI/NOI, and prioritize retrofits, but it shouldn't just be done in the dead of winter. See how common utility management issues can be identified at any time of year through energy benchmarking and monitoring.  

If you recently installed a new boiler in your home and want to figure out how much energy and money you're saving, or if you want to see if that cool new thermostat is helping lower your heating bill, tracking utility data is the first step. After all, you can't manage what you can't measure. Unfortunately, tracking utility data is not as straightforward as it seems and can be a frustrating experience. Let us guide you through your first utility tracking experience and give you the tips needed to avoid common tracking pitfalls. 

Green property management is important to the health and safety of your tenants. This e-book is an incredible resource for affordable and market rate multifamily housing owners to define and apply green measures within their portfolios. Added bonus? You'll save money, energy, water, and the environment while you're at it!