News and Events
Come meet us in person at one of our upcoming events, or just read one of our many publications and presentations.
Upcoming Events:
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TBD
Past Events:
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School-wide Sustainability and Energy Savings Through Assessment and Planning
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2011 Nat’l Assn. of Independent Schools Annual Conference: Energy efficiency, climate action planning, and school-wide sustainability are growing priorities for schools, but few know how best to achieve them. This session will describe the processes, time requirements, costs, and benefits of sustainability assessment and master planning, with a focus on the experience of Mercersburg Academy and Berkshire School.
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PRESENTERS: Wynn Calder, Sustainable Schools, LLC (MA); Frank Barros, Berkshire School (MA); Tom Sahagian, Power Concepts, L.L.C. (NY); William Willis, Mercersburg Academy (PA)
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Green Building 101 at GreenHomeNYC
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Catwalk of New Ideas at GreenHomeNYC
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Large Boilers, Domestic Hot Water, Controls and Distribution in Multifamily Buildings Cooper Union Green Building Class, 2009
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Enhancing Your Energy Awareness Council of NY Cooperatives & Condos, 29th Annual Housing Conference, 2009
Publications:
“Your boiler is probably too big. In fact, I will state categorically that a substantial
majority of existing multifamily boilers in New York City are at least twice as big as
they need to be. How can I make such a claim? Consider the evidence:
● Even though heat-timers are set to ‘A’ (the lowest setting), many buildings are still
over heated.
● Many burners are set to fire at 50 percent of capacity, yet still short-cycle….”
“As director of the Energy Division at Power Concepts, I hear a lot of rumors. About
three years ago, a super at a building in Westchester mentioned to me, almost as an
afterthought, that No. 6 heating oil ‘was about to be banned.’ He couldn’t tell me how
he knew, but I took it seriously enough to do some follow-up research – and found….”
Habitat Magazine, September 2010
“There is more good information- and bad- about saving energy and ‘going green’ then
ever before. How does a board distinguish between the two? It’s not easy. There are
legions of misinformed and even downright mendacious people out there trying to
separate you from your reserve funds. You can sidestep the most expensive mistakes
by learning the truth about the following ten energy efficiency myths….”
Habitat Magazine, November 2008
“Experts agree that education is a key element to getting shareholders to agree to submetering. Tom Sahagian, manager of the energy division at
the energy-consulting firm Power Concepts, says he makes it personal when he talks to boards and residents by bringing in his own electric bills.
Sahagian shows his electric bills from a time when he had an old refrigerator and used traditional lights and compares it to when he bought a new
energy-efficient model and used compact fluorescent bulbs. ‘My consumption dropped by half,’ he says. ‘It’s a pretty dramatic graphic.’”
Habitat Magazine, June 2006
“Tom Sahagian, energy division manager at Power Concepts, is another consultant providing ResTech audits and also lecturing widely on the
subject of energy efficiency. Sahagian audits many buildings where residents have been complaining for years about temperature distribution
problems. Some apartments are too cold; some are too hot. Few are just right. “This is a problem in almost every building in New York City,” he
explains. “It’s a problem of gigantic proportion. In order for every apartment to be warm enough to meet the city code, many, many apartments are
grossly overheated.”
Data Loggers Help Compress Energy Costs
Onset Computer Corporation, September 2007
“Concerned about its own facility’s excessive energy usage, a New York-based metal products manufacturer recently paired up with Power
Concepts LLC, a Manhattan-based consulting engineering firm, to conduct an energy feasibility study at the company’s production facility.”
“Most big New York buildings, both commercial and residential, are wasting thousands of dollars a year on energy, the city says. Energy use by
buildings accounts for almost 80 percent of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions, and residential buildings for about a third of that.”
“Tom Sahagian, energy division manager at Power Concepts LLC, says, ‘Green industry segments such as bamboo flooring, wind turbines, and
solar panels will likely gain traction in the region over time, but they will not be the engine for the greatest opportunities.’ Energy efficiency—in
commercial, residential, and industrial buildings, will be the driver, Sahagian says. Regarding solar and wind, Sahagian says the economics are not
that great at the moment. ‘Adoption has not reached a critical tipping point yet, which is why there’s more interest (and investment) in energy
conservation.’”
French TV Story
ARTE Television Broadcast, September 27, 2007
“This is what the mayor of NY no longer wants to see in its sky: 58 million tons of CO2 permeating the air each year. Knowing that the city contains more than 900,000 buildings and that they are the major polluters, it becomes clear why the mayor is asking landlords to improve their installations by even offering incentives to those who upgrade their systems. Therefore, more and more landlords are calling energy experts – such as these guys- to survey their existing equipment to detect what can be done.”
Links:
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Sustainable Schools: http://www.sustainschools.org/about-us
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The Great Energy Challenge: http://360energydiet.com/about-the-coaches/