Here are some ideas that you can implement to define your energy management strategy. There are countless engineers, ESCOs and consultants that can assist you in this process. We're kind of partial to Summit Energy Services (www.summitenergy.com) and Metropolitan Consulting Group (www.metrogroupny.com) who won the 2006 Global Green Award.

Building Survey
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"You can't manage what you can't measure."

Comprehensive building surveys should focus on every major energy consuming system within your space. It should also consist of external factors, such as commodity futures and the cost per unit of consumption charged in your area.

Key systems within your facility should include:

-Building Envelope
-Electrical Systems
-HVAC Systems
-Operations and Maintenance
-Renewable Energy

Another essential feature of the building survey should be an understanding of the tenants, staff and other occupants of your facility. Some ways to accomplish this is through an observational occupant survey, where surveyors identify ways to implement energy saving mechanisms that are effortless to follow for guests, tenants and staff.

Energy Efficiency Program
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After completing a building survey, owners and managers should collaborate to design a specialized Energy Efficiency Program. The program outlines specific recommendations that should provide a guaranteed amount of savings over the performance period. This helps to reduce risk- and therefore interest- on any financing that needs to be secured and allows the program to be funded primarily by energy savings.