This afternoon at MUFSO, I listened to a compelling discussion about emerging technologies and the disruptions they pose to our current business models and strategies. David Starmer, vice president of Global IT Store Systems at Dunkin’ Brands, Gary Price, president of Corner Bakery Café and Mark Freeman, senior manager of Global Dining Services shared insights into […]
In a recent post, I wrote about how next-generation Energy Management Systems (which we call “EMS 2.0”) are enabling facilities management firms to be heroes to their clients by providing unprecedented visibility and automated analytics down to the equipment level, allowing service companies to respond more proactively to equipment issues. Similarly, EMS 2.0 can enable managed […]
With the increasing availability of cost-effective networked thermostats, controls, and sensors, many companies and service providers have unprecedented remote access and visibility into their facilities. We call this emergence of increasingly intelligent building systems Energy Management 2.0, or EMS 2.0. So for companies that provide facility maintenance services to their clients, how do you leverage the […]
Powerhouse Dynamics’ new patent, which we originally applied for in 2009 (yes, five years is not an unusually long time for a patent to make its way through the USPTO), has to do with SiteSage’s ability to identify under-performing equipment. Essentially, the patent covers our combination of: sensors placed on electrical breakers dedicated to specific pieces […]
Energy bills can often be one of the larger expenses for an organization – especially for companies managing chains of restaurants or convenience stores, which typically consume three times more energy per square foot than other commercial facilities. Energy costs can also be frustrating to try to control, and many utilities don’t seem to […]
What’s an Economizer? An economizer is a simple, elegant idea intended to save businesses money by delivering cooling to their buildings with much less energy consumed and much less cost. In a nutshell, an economizer is a mechanical vent attached to a roof top unit (RTU) that opens to draw-in outside air for cooling a […]
Any amount of searching on the web these days for commercial energy efficiency programs shows that the bulk of efforts are focused around mid- to large-sized commercial facilities: big box retail, office buildings, municipal buildings, etc. In many ways, this makes perfect sense. Big facilities offer big potential efficiency gains within the scope of a […]
This is a portion of a post on MultiBriefs Exclusive. As the economy and the foodservice industry appear to be gaining steam, are you prepared to reap the full benefit? There are still plenty of business challenges that require both business acumen and financial agility. Whether it’s food costs, labor costs or overhead, operators must […]
This is a portion of a post on MultiBriefs Exclusive. Imagine opening your electricity bill and finding it was $1,000 more than last month even though you didn’t use any more energy. It’s caused by what utilities call “demand charges.” Don’t confuse demand charges with “time of use” (TOU) pricing, in which utilities charge more […]
This is a portion of a post on MultiBriefs Exclusive. Would you spend $60 once to save $1,200 to $4,800 each year for the next five years? As Olympia Beer’s famous tag line said, “It’s the water!” And that’s just what you save with Tip No. 1. We’ll get back to the savings in just […]
This is a portion of a post on MultiBriefs Exclusive. The law of supply and demand is perhaps society’s most basic principle. When supply exceeds demand, prices fall and, conversely, higher demand means higher prices. In restaurants, that principle underlies happy-hour and early-bird specials that are all based on bringing in customers during slow portions […]
This is a portion of a post on MultiBriefs Exclusive. How can energy become a profit center? Over the last 13 weeks we’ve provided a guide on how that can be done utilizing simple, low-cost/no-cost tips. If you’ve read those articles but haven’t had a chance to implement them yet, consider this: If you decrease […]
