Greater Dayton Premier Management - Energy & Utility Planning
The Need
Greater Dayton Premier Management (GDPM), the public housing authority in Montgomery County, Ohio, manages over 450 buildings across the county and assists residents with acquiring affordable housing.
This large portfolio of single- and multi-family housing facilities needed assistance analyzing its utility data, identifying opportunities to reduce energy use and costs, and understanding how to incorporate energy use and costs into its renovation and new construction planning.
Our Approach
Stakeholder engagement and education is a critical first step for large portfolios. Go collaborated with multiple GDPM stakeholders to understand GDPM's goals, constraints, facility types, locations throughout the Dayton region, and how to best organize the data for over 2,500 utility meters across the 460-building portfolio. Their staff accelerated our understanding of the populations it serves and how each facility type's energy use influences cost to both GDPM and its residents.
Utility Data - Organization and Analysis
Go gathered, organized, and uploaded GDPM's utility and property data into EnergyStar Portfolio Manager ® (ESPM), in coordination with GDPM staff. ESPM is a free and commonly used method of organizing data for large portfolios. Go taught GDPM staff to access and analyze their portfolio data to gain critical portfolio insights with or without professional energy expertise or assistance.
Electricity Procurement
Go explored multiple options for energy procurement, considering how each aligned with GDPM's goals and requirements, potential benefits, and ease of engagement. After multiple collaboration sessions with GDPM stakeholders, GDPM selected their path. Go prepared the data for the procurement broker and assisted GDPM with reviewing and selecting an option that tangibly reduces energy costs.
This process differed from a private entity engaging in the market due to federal requirements and programs unique to affordable housing organizations.
Energy Studies
Go performed several energy studies at GDPM properties, each representing a different phase of a building's life from those under immediate need for renovation or rebuilding, to those beginning the initial planning process. Utilizing design document plan sets, personnel interviews, utility data, energy models, and a wealth of knowledge from GDPM's facilities staff, we provided actionable recommendations for saving energy and money across low-cost, no-cost, and capital upgrade options.
We collectively considered the impact on impending design and new construction processes as GDPM improves its portfolio, adds cooling, and modernizes and electrifies HVAC systems. We also helped GDPM understand the current and future energy and economic impact of solar across the portfolio.
The Results
A critical theme of our approach was to provide immediate impact while leaving GDPM set up for success whether they can continue to engage Go or not. We focused on institutionalizing knowledge and documenting and teaching processes throughout the engagement.
Utility Data
GDPM's utility data is organized within EnergyStar Portfolio Manager, allowing staff to self-perform analysis where needed. GDPM has identified sites for additional studies and improvements, can review and compare data with its internal teams, and can observe changes in utility use over time.
Electricity Procurement
GDPM is now competitively procuring energy and saving money. GDPM has what it needs to continue this process without significant input from external experts.
Energy Studies
Following Go's recommendation, GDPM and its design teams modified their design approach to water heating and performed a significant utility meter consolidation at one group of properties, eliminating several ineffective utility charges.
At another property, GDPM used Go's findings to replace their aging chiller, including an upgrade to its energy performance requirements for the new system.
These are just two examples of findings that were able to be enacted immediately. Many of our findings will impact GDPM's plans for upgrades and maintenance to other properties.
Our Role
Strategic Energy Consultant, Energy Auditor
The Client
Greater Dayton Premier Management
Duration
2025 - Present
Team
Gregory Raffio, PE, LEED AP BD+C
Joshua Holtgreive
Lianna Serrano
Sean Kapp