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Posted in Energy Management

Union Station was awarded the Energy-Process Sustainability Award at the 2016 KCIC Sustainability Awards Breakfast. Union Station and their operations manager, MC Realty, partnered with BCS Performance Solutions to address an antiquated building automation system and greatly lower energy costs.  After construction, Union Station is on their way to a 16% decrease in electricity consumption, which will result in a total reduction of 4 million kWh.

Performance Solutions partners with organizations that place importance innovation and efficiency. Both MC Realty and Union Station share these values and know the crucial role leadership plays in creating lasting change. Through their Strategic Energy and Maintenance Program, they are working to connect the silos between capital planning, deferred maintenance, building data, and people. Director of Performance Solutions, Chadd Currier, shared, “Our clients have experienced the most success with our programs when the organization’s leaders create a culture that embraces change, are constantly striving to improve and are driven to reduce operating costs. Union Station and MC Realty exude these traits and we are proud of their leadership in the Kansas City community.”

Congratulations to Union Station and MC Realty.

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Posted in Preventative Maintenance

Don’t let these Facility Frights haunt you this Halloween. BCS employees are fully trained Building Ghostbusters.

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Poor Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality is the quality of air within and around buildings. Common air pollutants can cause many health concerns and discomfort for occupants. Short term health effects include irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, headaches, dizziness and fatigue. Continued exposure could cause symptoms of diseases such as asthma may begin. It is important to pay attention to the time and place these symptoms occur. If symptoms fade or go away when not in the affected area, steps should be taken to improve indoor air quality. Long-term effects may include respiratory or heart disease and even cancer. It is important to improve indoor air quality in your home or office even before symptoms are noticeable.

Don’t be spooked. We’ve got a solution for you. BCS Parts is contracted to sell RGF environmental products that are designed to improve indoor air quality and occupant health: http://www.rgf.com/air-purification/. We can help you take control of your health.

High Energy Bills
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Is your energy bill killer? Here are some tips to reduce and preserve.

Get an energy audit done. Hire an energy audit company to assess your energy usage. There are probably some ways you can be running your existing equipment more efficiently.

Use the hibernation feature on computers and laptops. The hibernate feature allows you to save existing work as it is and continue from the same point the next day. You can schedule your workstation to go into hibernation mode in the evenings and on weekends.

Switch off equipment when not in use. Switch off all printers, scanners, microwaves, lights, air conditioners, coffee and vending machines during weekends and holidays. To completely turn these items off, they need to be unplugged as they continue to draw power even when they are plugged in.

Take advantage of tax breaks for energy efficiency. Help ease the burden of energy bills by buying energy efficient products that can save you money on bills and taxes. Find out more about tax breaks for energy efficiency here:

Tax Deductions Available for Using Energy Efficient Equipment

Keep control of your heating and cooling. Keeping the office at one degree cooler or warmer can reduce power usage by 10%.

Lack of HVAC Maintenance

You might think you are saving money by skipping the cost of inspection and maintenance, but if you’re not maintaining your HVAC system, sooner than later it may turn into a real-life monster.

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There are several things that could go wrong from easy to fix issues to mechanical failures, gas leaks, refrigerant leaks and more. You’re dealing with a mechanical system that incorporates liquids, electrical circuits and moving hardware, there is an endless list of potential problems that could arise.

Is your building haunted by these HVAC horrors? Let us track down those ghosts and goblins for you. We are certified in providing solutions for your scariest building needs.

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Posted in Energy Management

Our engineering team hears a lot of energy myths. We want to set the record straight. Today, we want to debunk myths about energy consumed from standby power in household appliances.

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Posted on
Posted in Energy Management

As part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Commercial Building or 179D Deduction encourages increased energy efficiency in new and remodeled buildings by providing an immediate tax reduction for costs incurred to increase the energy efficiency of the building. The deduction is $1.80 per square foot of building space.

To qualify, the building must achieve a reduction in energy cost of at least 50% in total annual energy and power costs. A partial deduction is also available up to $.60 per square foot that do not meet the 50% savings threshold overall. In these instances, the individual system for which the deduction was claimed must meet various reductions in energy use.

The energy savings are measured by interior lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation, hot water systems, or building envelope. Qualifying buildings include new construction commercial buildings, residential rental buildings of four stories or more, and renovations/retrofits built in the US.

The deduction is available to the building owner at the time it is constructed or when the renovation is made. Renovations placed in service after December 31, 2015 and before January 1, 2017 are available. For property placed in prior years, a taxpayer may take the deduction on an amended return or possibly using form 3115, Application for Change in Accounting Method.

These energy savings must be certified by a qualified engineer or contractor who is licensed in the jurisdiction where the property is located. These savings must be calculated using qualified computer software.

Interested in learning how your facility can qualify for this tax deduction? BCS Performance Solutions are the experts in energy efficiency and saving you money.

Contact us today: info@bcsperformancesolutions.com or call us at 316.267.5814.

Download Informational PDF

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Source: http://energy.gov/eere/buildings/179d-commercial-buildings-energy-efficiency-tax-deduction

Posted on
Posted in Ken’s Metaphors for Success

By: Ken Stoppel

Listening is a truly golden asset, and it doesn’t cost a thing.  It’s far more important to “listen”, than to “talk”.  Think about it, who are our favorite people to be around? Those that care about what you have to say, or those that never shut up?  Here’s #14.

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In my career, I have learned some valuable lessons.  One of which is “It doesn’t cost a thing to listen”.  As someone who has something to say, nothing is more powerful that knowing that you have been heard.  More often people have a limited forum by which to share thoughts, and when they do, they are quickly discounted.  Always make it a point to truly listen, by making eye contact, and most importantly, mirroring back what you heard them say.  This can be verbal communication, or written in some cases.  This solves a couple of problems: it soothes one’s soul to express thoughts, and gets them off of your chest.  Likewise, it tells the person that is sharing, that they have been heard and respected.

One thing to remember is that because someone has been heard by you, doesn’t guarantee that you will always agree.  However, that is a far better scenario than not having a voice.

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Become an expert in building intelligence. Save money by lowering the total cost of ownership of your facility equipment. Sign up to receive helpful tips, tricks, and insights to facility management from people who’ve dealt with it all.