energyPLAN: Time & Tools To Enhance Building Performance

When it comes to managing a building, there are many competing demands. The building operations team is in the trenches responding to owners, occupants, staff, and vendors. The to-do list associated with each group can be overwhelming. Finding the time to finely tune systems that seem to be running “just fine” may have a hard time reaching the top of the priority list. Partnering with a team who can do this for you may not only save you time, but also money.

Cyclone Energy Group’s unique energyPLAN service is designed specifically for the busy building operations team who is dedicated to running an efficient building but is also up to their ears in responding to the needs of owners and occupants. It is an annual subscription program that actively transforms operating expenses into operating savings over the functional life of the building. Cyclone partners with the building operations staff as a trusted energy advisor, providing guidance, identifying potential issues, and finding solutions. The program is based on a three-phase cycle consisting of planning, implementation, and reporting.

energyPLAN clients are opportunistic. They realize that in order to optimize building systems already in place, it’s advantageous to have a team in your corner who can evaluate performance and have the experience to ensure success. Why? Because having a partner who is EXCITED to take a deep dive into the nitty-gritty and report back with meaningful advice will:

• make a big impact on the bottom line,
• inform an effective and focused priority list, and
• create an environment worth staying in year after year

PHASE 1: PLANNING
Each property is going to have a unique composition of factors impacting efficiency and performance. The time it takes to comb through data and details and turn it into meaningful decisions can be quite an undertaking. It is at this junction of information + action that the energyPLAN team can be most impactful. Here are a few questions to ask yourself to see if energyPLAN is right for your building:

• Does your neighbor have a higher ENERGY STAR score than you?
• Have you found all the low-hanging fruit and think there’s nothing you can do? There is.
• Do you need data driven options to convince Ownership?
• Are you motivated by cost savings?
• Have you completed an ASHRAE Level II Audit and/or Retro-commissioning and want to understand if the next technology is right for you?

PHASE 2: IMPLEMENTATION
Our team can work with property owners and managers on a project-by-project basis; however, energyPLAN is known for continuing the impact from an ASHRAE Level II audit and Retro‑commissioning. Why? Energy audits are a snapshot in time that provide a list of opportunities you can use to decide what to implement, or not. You may implement most of the measures, but do you know if it saved what you expected? The energyPLAN team can assist with a deeper analysis of your ASHRAE Level II audit recommendations; analyzing and strategically advising on the implementation of measures that will achieve the building operation team’s broader goals and analyze the success. Retro‑commissioning will have an immediate impact on building energy efficiency, but once complete, ongoing monitoring by our team will ensure your investment doesn’t go by the wayside.
Haven’t done either activity? Don’t fret! As a partner, the energyPLAN team will work with you to map out the goals and how to achieve those goals.

PHASE 3: REPORTING
In 2018, Cyclone provided energyPLAN service to 10 buildings in the Chicagoland area. Totaling nearly 8.5 million gross square feet (SF), energyPLAN buildings ranged from office (eight buildings) to mixed-use commercial office and residential (two buildings). For the mixed-use buildings, Cyclone provided energyPLAN for the commercial office component only.

Our goal is to present your building data in a comprehensive and meaningful way so you can report the benefits back. On top of an Annual Report, you can count on ongoing feedback from a dedicated energy engineer’s reviews and customized reporting that gives you the information you need for your specific building.

Bottom line: energyPLAN will collect, assess, clarify, and present your energy data in a way that makes sense. Think of energyPLAN as your trusted energy advisor. We manage all energy-related projects on your behalf to best optimize your building’s performance. You don’t need to log into a dashboard and spend your valuable time creating your own report, we do it for you!

Curious how specific buildings have benefited? Check out case studies of a few buildings in Chicago we had the pleasure of partnering with. If you would like to know more about how energyPLAN would work at your building, email David Lippe, Real Estate Services Manager, at dlippe@cyclone.energy

energyPLAN: Big Picture. Finely Tuned.