HOA managers often have an onerous time when preparing new budgets as costs to run the HOA increase but the Board doesn’t want to raise assessments. Investigating whether the HOA has energy zombies or phantom loads is a clever way to reduce energy costs and maintain the bottom line on the budget. It is also a great thing to do before starting a solar system capital improvement project.

What can an HOA do to reduce common area electric usage? HOA developments can vary widely in structure and amenities so we will cover a few general energy efficiency options that often apply to HOAs.

First on the list is to  find the energy zombies and identify phantom loads by conducting an Energy Treasure Hunt. To conduct an Energy Treasure Hunt, teams of treasure hunters can walk the common area looking for ways to save energy. Materials and instructions are available at https://www.energystar.gov/buildings/save-energy-commercial-buildings/ways-save/treasure-hunts This can be a community building project for resident volunteers or you can hire Makello to perform the energy savings analysis for you. Where can the Treasure Hunters find the Energy Zombies and Phantom Loads?

Does the HOA have a pool? Are the pumps functioning properly? Pumps need proper maintenance and to be set at the right speeds to effectively filter pool water.  Pumps not working correctly or efficiently can waste energy and run up electric bills. If it is time for a pool pump replacement, look for Energy Star Rated variable speed pumps. Another way to save energy for pool pumps, besides installing a solar system to run your pool pumps, is to install a timer and run your pumps only when the pool is in use. Most HOAs aren’t open 24/7 so it may be possible to stop the pumps when the pool is closed. Please check with your pool maintenance professional to ensure your pool is functioning properly and meets health and safety requirements. 

Yes, we did just say you can install a solar system to run your pool pumps. Pool pumps are powered by electricity and are able to reliably run on solar power just like other electrical equipment. You can install solar to power your pool pumps even if you don’t have a pump room or community room with a large roof. Solar and pools are a 2 for 1 common area upgrade. Solar modules can be installed on a patio cover type structure and a covered seating or picnic area near the pool is created in the common area under the solar modules while the solar modules power your pool pumps. What a great capital improvement project for the HOA residents.

Let’s talk about lighting. Lights in HOA common areas are an essential part of safety and well designed lighting can enhance the quality of life and value of a property. Electric costs for common area lights may eat up an HOAs assessments. A lighting survey can help cut costs by analyzing the number and types of lights in use and evaluate the effectiveness of the lighting then implement energy saving measures.

There have been a number of improvements in lighting options that can help protect the bottom line in the HOA budget. LED bulb options are available for every fit, form and function, in a variety of fixtures, to replace less efficient bulbs. Switching to LEDs can reduce power consumption by up to 50% when replacing fluorescent lamps, and by up to 80% when replacing Incandescent/Halogen lamps. Lower total consumption and lower instantaneous peak use can trigger a change to a discount utility rate, and save even more money in avoided solar, battery, electrical and utility integration costs. 

Solar outdoor light fixtures are available in a variety of styles. The fixtures are often a self contained unit with LED bulbs in a wide range of sizes and last for several years. Many fixture options include motion sensors which switch the light on and off as needed to preserve the battery charge and eliminate the need to fuss with timers. 

Light bulbs aren’t the only lighting upgrade option. Sensors on light fixtures are capable of turning your lights on and off when the light is not needed. Motion sensors may be included on interior or exterior fixtures and light sensors may be utilized by outdoor fixtures. A sophisticated sensor is a geofence that is utilized with smart technology to detect when the perimeter has been crossed and triggering the appliance to perform the correct function. There is no need to spend money on electricity to light an area when the light is not needed.

Water heating uses a lot of energy no matter what the size of the tank. Manufacturers have been implementing energy efficient technologies from the smallest system up to industrial size boilers. There are several technologies in use today including tankless systems, heat pump water heaters and solar water heating systems. Solar water heating systems are popular with pool owners for pool water heating and can be installed in conjunction with solar modules to run the pumps. 

Not all energy efficiency measures involve technology. What you plant around your structure can make a difference on indoor comfort and energy use. Using plants to shade walls reduces heat build up inside your building and cuts cooling costs not to mention how a beautiful garden can improve the property value and quality of life.

Makello sells solar systems but why would we tell you how to save energy before selling you a solar system? Wouldn’t we want the system to be as large as possible? No. We believe the ethical thing to do is to help our customers reduce energy use before the solar system is designed and installed. We perform an energy efficiency analysis and use the data to help us design the best solar system for our customer, potentially saving our customer thousands of dollars. Please contact us if you would like for us to perform an energy analysis for your HOA.

Please visit our blog at Makello.com for more articles on energy efficiency, solar systems, and electric vehicles. If you are an HOA manager and would like some content for your HOAs newsletters please contact us a info@makello.com

Makello is an authorized distributor for Green Energy EPC CA Lic #978836