An Interview with Expert Energy Advisor Drew Spindler

An energy assessment provides a comprehensive picture of your building’s existing conditions and potential for improvement. A dedicated Energy Advisor conducts the assessment of your property’s common areas and serves as your main point of contact. Beyond the energy assessment, they guide property staff through participating in the Multifamily Energy Savings program.

Contractor on clipboard

The assessment identifies equipment upgrades that may be covered by the program at little or no cost, helping to reduce energy use and enhance living conditions for residents. The assigned Energy Advisor will conduct the energy assessment and develop a report that details the equipment within the property’s common areas that are eligible for incentives through the program. All Energy Advisors have completed program-specific training and most have specialized certifications, such as the Building Performance Institute’s Building Analyst certification.

We sat down with Drew Spindler, one of the program’s Energy Advisors, to get an in-depth look at the energy assessment process. He says meeting with property owners and staff to conduct the energy assessment is his favorite part of the process.

Picture of Drew Spindler

Drew Spindler, Energy Advisor

According to Drew, “not only does the assessment give me [the Energy Advisor] the opportunity to collect the data firsthand and answer questions, but it also enables me to foster a more collaborative relationship with customers. Energy assessments allow me to go out and meet the property teams and gather accurate information to help property owners better understand equipment efficiency.”

Preparing for an energy assessment takes a little coordination between the property team and the Energy Advisor. After customers meet the program requirements and fully enroll, an Energy Advisor will connect with the property point of contact to schedule their energy assessment. The Energy Advisor will ask customers to provide a site map and details about the property so they can create an itinerary and come to the property fully prepared.

As Drew explains, “The audit itinerary is shared with the customer once a property is fully enrolled, providing a step-by-step overview of everything the customer will encounter on their scheduled site walkthrough. We also collect site maps and confirm customer processes for unit access well in advance of the energy assessment. In short, these pre-onsite activities lay the critical foundation for everything we do in the program.”

We asked Drew a series of common questions about energy assessments.

Drew: Energy assessments help eligible multifamily property owners learn about all the upgrades and incentives their property can qualify for through Multifamily Energy Savings. This comprehensive evaluation takes a close look at where customers can upgrade equipment. These upgrades can improve comfort, health and safety—all while lowering energy costs in both common areas and resident units. In many cases, the program’s incentives can cover up to the full cost of equipment upgrades. 

Drew: Absolutely! The energy assessment report is quite comprehensive and can serve several purposes beyond just qualifying for energy-saving incentives through the Multifamily Energy Savings program. 

For one, the report provides valuable insights into the existing conditions of the building and its equipment. A lot of property owners are often unaware of how old their equipment is or what kind of condition it’s in. The assessment details all of this, helping owners better understand their property’s systems.  

Additionally, the report highlights any health and safety issues found on-site, identifying things that need immediate attention as well as those that can be addressed later. This can be extremely useful for properties looking to prioritize repairs or improvements that affect resident safety and comfort. The energy assessment also doubles as a tool for ongoing maintenance. In the appendix of the report, we provide energy efficiency best practices, along with health and safety tips that can be applied throughout the property. This is great for property teams looking to make improvements even outside the scope of the Multifamily Energy Savings program. 

Finally, alongside the energy assessment report, we offer a benchmarking report. This report provides the property with a baseline of its energy usage and compares it to the national average for properties of similar size. It’s a useful tool for understanding how the property measures up and identifying areas for improvement. There’s a lot of valuable information packed into this report, helping property owners make informed decisions moving forward. 

Drew: Our [the Energy Advisors] primary focus during the assessment is on the common areas that residents always have access to. We look closely at the equipment serving those areas or serving multiple dwelling units. This includes central systems that could potentially be funded by the program. For example, we prioritize equipment like HVAC systems, which include furnaces, split systems, and heat pumps. We also examine domestic hot water (DHW) systems, from small storage water heaters to large central boilers, and even tankless systems. 

In addition, we pay attention to attic spaces and make sure to check those areas when possible. Before scheduling the assessment, we coordinate with the property team to ensure access to these spaces, ideally in vacant units. This helps us minimize disturbances for residents and allows us to get a good sample of interior unit conditions, which is essential for documenting energy performance. 

We also look at other central equipment like the building’s envelope, which includes the structure, windows, and insulation. We document the existing conditions of the building and its systems, as well as lighting in common areas. For lighting, the process is generally quick, and we typically do it toward the end of the assessment since it doesn’t require much access or involvement from the property manager.  

The walkthrough itself is very straightforward and takes 1-4 hours to complete. Once we finish the walkthrough, we will debrief you and let you know if we need anything else to move forward. Over the following two to three weeks, we will draft the report, send it to you and schedule a follow-up call to discuss the findings and recommended scope of work.

Drew: I have three recommendations for property owners to help avoid any issues or delays: 

  • Communicate clearly and often: Because the assessments can involve a lot of people, good communication will help us work through scheduling or access issues ahead of time and ensure the process goes smoothly. 
  • Provide as much information as possible early on: The more I know before arriving at the property the better. This helps me complete the assessment more quickly and make sure I inspect everything I need to. 
  • Have a contractor on standby: If the property owner has selected a contractor to work with, it’s very helpful to have them attend the energy assessment, or at the very least the consultation call, so everyone is on the same page and can work together on next steps. This can really help accelerate project timelines. 

Ready to lower energy usage and upgrade equipment?

Person on ipad checking energy usage of home

Energy assessments are an essential tool for property owners seeking to upgrade their properties with the Multifamily Energy Savings program. These assessments thoroughly evaluate your property’s equipment and systems, providing targeted recommendations for program-supported upgrades. The guidance from an Energy Advisor ensures you have support at every step of your energy journey.

For Drew, this is an extremely gratifying process. He explains that “it’s really rewarding to see the properties before they’ve received any treatment from the program and then have the opportunity to go back to see all of the new equipment once the project is complete.” He adds that property owners and residents are “generally very happy with the results.”

By investing in energy efficiency, you’ll reduce costs, save energy, and enhance residents’ living conditions. If you’re interested in discovering how the energy assessment and savings opportunities can benefit you and your residents, don’t wait. Fill out an interest form to learn more about how the Multifamily Energy Savings program can help you achieve your goals.