If you’re a commercial real estate owner, have you considered how integral the role of an Owners Energy Representative or OER is to attain your energy objectives? I’d like to give you a high-level understanding. The OER serves as an advisor, offering a specialized skillset that goes beyond the responsibilities of a capital project manager, architect or commissioning agent.

Responsibilities and Added Value of an OER

An OER’s responsibilities range from conducting comprehensive energy audits to the execution of energy conservation measures. They act as a strategic liaison among the owner, design team, and construction personnel, ensuring that energy efficiency is seamlessly incorporated into the framework of the project. Responsibilities include:

• Strategic Energy Planning: The OER is charged with crafting a comprehensive energy strategy that aligns with the facility’s sustainability goals. This involves conducting thorough energy audits and identifying key areas for improvement.
• Technical Proficiency: The OER recommends high-impact solutions that lead to significant operational cost reductions. These may include the adoption of renewable energy sources and the implementation of energy-efficient technologies.
• Operational Cost Reduction: Through meticulous energy optimization, OERs facilitate significant operational cost savings.
• Compliance Assurance: They guarantee adherence to all pertinent energy regulations and standards.

Enhanced Quality Control

Any commercial real estate owner who has been a part of a construction project understands the value in quality control. This is another area where OERs demonstrate their expertise. Their specialized knowledge in energy efficiency adds to the oversight provided by commissioning agents. They spearhead stringent testing to confirm system performance, ensuring savings and dependability.

Collaboration with ESPCs and ESCOs

The employment of OERs is a common practice within Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) and Energy Service Companies (ESCOs). In ESPCs, contractors pledge energy savings over a specified duration to finance the project’s expenses. ESCOs similarly benefit from OERs’ expertise to deliver projects that fulfill or surpass expectations. Here’s an example scenario: A facility collaborates with an ESPC and an ESCO, drawing on their specialized services to manage the project. The OER oversees this partnership, ensuring that the project stays on track to meet its energy-saving targets.

Leveraging Federal Support and Incentives

Initiatives towards sustainability goals and net-zero is supplemented by available federal grant funding and tax incentives. These financial incentives promote a collaborative endeavor across the design team to achieve ambitious energy targets. The OER plays a pivotal role in securing these resources, which are essential for achieving net-zero goals.

The role of an Owners Energy Representative is sometimes underestimated yet is critical in steering capital projects towards energy efficiency and sustainable building operations. By going above traditional project management processes, OERs ensure that each effort contributes meaningfully to the overarching objective of net-zero.

I hope this article clarifies the role of specialized consultants and team members in guiding a balanced and informed approach to achieving objectives such as net zero, and in establishing a financially sound capital investment model.