Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority
At a Glance
Industry
Public Housing Authority
Project Type
Data Analysis
Year
2017
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Summary
Praneet Singh Arshi created a customized utility benchmarking approach for The Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA).
Goals
Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) was in search of getting a better understanding of its energy and water performance compared to similar properties nationwide. CMHA enlisted EDF Climate Corps fellow Praneet Singh Arshi to reduce utility bills and increase the efficiency of its Public Housing portfolio of over 5000 residential units. He was tasked with developing a customized utility benchmarking approach that could be carried out in the future.
Solutions
Singh Arshi knew the key to effective benchmarking is having accurate energy and water use data, along with associated costs, for each building or property. So, he set off proposing a more efficient way of organizing and aggregating the data. From this information, he benchmarked approximately 2300 residential units, ranging from small duplexes to high rise buildings. He found most properties had the potential to achieve significant savings.
To increase staff-engagement in utility benchmarking, Singh Arshi initiated talks with various departments, informing them on the positive impacts it can have on their operations. He developed and lead a 3-set training module series to solidify staff expertise on the topic and insure continued benchmarking efforts.
Potential Impact
Establishing a benchmarking approach brings CMHA one step closer to proposing federal mandates without an additional burden.
The cross departmental efforts to evaluate energy and water performance and organize data will:
- Avoid billing errors and overpaid accounts
- Help organize and allocate operational costs by combining expenditure information on utilities
- Guide construction and renovation plans based on best ROI
- Appease privacy concerns by integrating tenant data collection agreement in the lease packet
Furthermore, the benchmarked properties with a great deal of low-hanging fruit opportunities can be cited to launch new efficiency projects, improving the organization’s overall public image.