Newport Apartments, a 308 unit community located in Irving, Texas, was under due diligence to be acquired. During their process, a water and energy audit was completed. With the data provided by the audit, the new owners had concerns over their monthly community water bills. The costs seemed unusually high so they contacted Performance Utility Management and Billing to help them find the cause and a solution. Utilizing the audit information and our expertise, it was discovered that Newport Apartments was using, on average, 50% more water than another community of a similar size. Their usage was that of a 468-unit community which resulted in a loss of operational funds due to excessive water usage.

Solution

Our in-depth research showed how the increased water usage at Newport Apartments resulted from outdated water products such as showerheads, toilets, and aerators. After analyzing their needs and the cause, Performance Utility Management and Billing recommended they replace their aging water products with water conserving Niagara products to reduce the gallons per flush (GPF) and gallons per minute (GPM). We guided the management team through product selection, initiated the order, and completed the installation process.

Results

Performance continues to monitor and report on changes to Newport Apartments’ water usage over time. In the first four months, there was a significant decrease in water usage. In June 2018, there was an $11,917 reduction in community’s water bill compared to June 2017. With these types of results, it is projected that Newport Apartments’ incorporation of water conservation products will break-even within 1.5 years.

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In addition to their water savings, Performance helped the management company receive an estimated $49,000 reimbursement through the Freddie Mac Multifamily Green Advantage program for the first year. This program helps ownership lower lender interest rates along with energy saving rebates on an annual basis.

Percentage of Savings - YoY Comparison