Among many other tasks, good property managers strive to provide a great tenant experience and manage energy. They face a challenge, though. In the age of COVID and wildfires, tenants’ demand for clean, safe indoor air is high and growing. Lucky for us, the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) Community Investment Plan (CIP) offers an exciting way to address these concerns. Geared towards projects led by or for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, CIP funds must be used for climate justice outcomes.

Let’s explore how property managers can make use of the CIP to enhance their buildings. They can use it to reduce energy costs and ensure the long-term viability of their building. And, they can do all this while putting people first through remote building management with BuildingLens.

Emphasizing Energy Efficiency

The CIP’s focus on energy efficient buildings aligns with property managers’ own goals. They want to reduce costs and ensure their buildings’ perform well. With CIP grants, property managers can finance energy-efficient upgrades. These may enhance insulation, upgrade HVAC system, and install better lighting. These are well known to reduce energy costs and create more attractive and healthy spaces for tenants. Less well known, the CIP can also be used to install the needed hardware and software for remote building management. This has many benefits to property managers as discussed in a previous blog.

Harnessing Renewable Energy

The CIP commits to expanding renewable energy use. Property managers can explore grants to install solar panels, solar hot water, wind, and more. These can reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Renewables are essential for a clean energy future and ensure the long-term demand for their buildings. Tenants are seeking eco-friendly options more and more. It makes the property more attractive, further benefiting property managers.

BuildingLens can monitor energy flows to and from your systems in real time. This can help property managers benefit from Time of Use tariffs. They can also opt for devices in their buildings to be managed as a flexible load. This can stabilize the grid and reduce power outages.

Engaging the Community

Community engagement is key in the CIP. Here again, property managers can use CIP funding on BuildingLens. This is because BuildingLens engages the community by messaging tenants in real-time about threats to indoor air. It lets them know what’s happening, when, and how BuildingLens is protecting them. It even gives property managers and tenants tips for additional things they can do to protect themselves.

Property managers might also fund workshops and events with CIP grants. This helps tenants to take part in reducing energy use in their units. With the savings from BuildingLens, property managers might even develop ways to share savings with tenants.

BuildingLens: Bringing It All Together

BuildingLens is a remote building management system that supports the goals of the CIP. Through it, property managers can put people first using air quality and energy controls. The platform tracks air quality in real time. This improves air flow while keeping energy waste low. By using CIP funding for BuildingLens, property managers can strike a balance between tenant comfort, energy efficiency, and community engagement. This is a win-win-win for everyone.

Conclusion

The PCEF CIP presents an exciting chance for property managers. They can improve their buildings, reduce energy costs, and promote climate justice while enhancing tenant satisfaction. The CIP can be used to finance upgrades, install renewable energy systems, and engage tenants in their health and safety.

BuildingLens can help property managers strike a delicate balance between improved air quality and reduced energy demand. This ensures both tenant satisfaction and environmental care. If they embrace the vision of the PCEF CIP, property managers can lead the way in the clean energy economy, where buildings are efficient, resilient, and people centric.