Prediction: the rising star of commercial-side energy efficiency has a bright year ahead. Mike Dauber's recent post at Greentech Media digs into the details.
Dauber cites a recent survey of over 1400 executives and facilities managers in North America. Seventy-one percent of respondents say they’re paying more attention to energy efficiency than they did a year ago.
The number one reason? Efficiency investments are a fast, low risk way to save on costs over the long term. It’s a good thing that decision makers are realizing this, says Dauber:
“For there to be long-term success in energy efficiency in the commercial sector, it has to be about cost savings. We simply cannot rely on government/utility initiatives or ‘public image’ to drive this market.”
Residential energy efficiency may be ready to take off as well, but that sector needs the support of utilities. You might be eyeing a cool service like Google Powermeter, but if your utility doesn’t provide you with smart meter data, what’s the point?
Utilities, for their part, may be waiting for a one-size-fits-all solution, or one that addresses the lowest common denominator – the consumer who doesn’t want to be bothered with learning to use smart appliances.
But, as we’ve seen, a new energy customer is emerging – one who will demand a variety of personalized, differentiated services (in-home displays, web portals, controllable outlets, etc). We need to roll out multiple solutions to address the needs of a variety of customer types – and then we’ll really see energy efficiency soar.