A Practical Guide to "The Long Push" (Part 4 of 4)

How to Relentlessly Sustain Energy Cost Savings Year After Year

This article wraps up a four-part series on the self-funded Energy Sustainability Program, oftentimes referred to as "The Long Push". In this model, energy projects are largely funded with accumulated energy cost savings, meaning many smaller projects are pieced together to craft a multi-phase and multi-year program with the goal of achieving long-term outcomes. The last phase in the program is Phase Four - Sustainment, preceded by Phase One - Developing a Plan, Phase Two - Building and Presenting a Business Case, and Phase Three - Implementation.

Sustainability is often conceived as a “feel-good” movement with abstract ideas, hefty price tags, and a sense of teamwork. Sustainability is much more than recycling and electric cars. The reality is sustainability is unforgiving, labor-intensive, relentless work.

Just think about your own home for a minute. I know if one day goes by in our house when the dishes don’t get cleaned or the laundry doesn’t get folded (and put away!) or the floors aren’t swept, things get out of hand very quickly. Even if I just finished a “spring cleaning” worthy of Good Housekeeping magazine, it’s incredible how a space can revert back to pigsty status within a blink of an eye.

Now think about that concept for an institution like a hospital or university. It’s amazing how much work must go into just maintaining acceptable conditions let alone finding ways to incrementally improve the status quo. Rather than think about sustainability as a feel-good movement that makes the world a better place to live (although admirable), maybe we should consider sustainability as an action plan to keep what we worked so hard to achieve.

The United States Army has established 8 principles of sustainment: integration, anticipation, responsiveness, simplicity, economy, survivability, continuity, and improvisation. Although sustaining energy cost savings is vastly different than combat, the concept is applicable to both when considering strategic and operational reach and endurance.

(1)   Integration

According to the U.S. Army, “integration is combining all of the elements of sustainment (tasks, functions, systems, processes, organizations) to operations assuring unity of command and effort.”

This definition fits perfectly into “The Long Push” since every step in the process must be in the same direction to maximize on the opportunity and generate the desired outcomes. In Phase Four of the self-funded Energy Sustainability Program, many elements are necessary to sustain cost savings for the long term.

It’s going to come down to the tools you have in place, the number of staff you have on hand, your staff’s knowledge, capabilities, and workload, trusted partnerships with the right consultants or service providers, and buy-in and support from leadership.

(2)   Anticipation

“Anticipation is the ability to foresee operational requirements and initiate actions that satisfy a response without waiting for an operations order or fragmentary order. Sustainment commanders and staffs visualize future operations, identify required support and start the process of acquiring the sustainment that best supports the operation.”

What immediately comes to mind is a certain facilities management team in Nashville, Tennessee that works at an acute care hospital within a massive nonprofit health system. Every morning and with no coaching from management, this team polls the weather for the day, including cloud coverage. Based on the weather forecast, they adjust the operation of various equipment in anticipation of future thermal conditions.

Impressive.

These individuals have two distinct characteristics: (1) buy-in to the energy sustainability vision (they take this responsibility personally and are invested in the overall success of the organization) and (2) knowledge cultivated through targeted operator training (they are empowered because leadership invested in them). These technicians and operators understand why they’re making operational changes and the resulting effects of adjusting set points, schedules, and equipment sequencing.

Keep in mind that it only takes one energy champion to make a difference. A team or a department is obviously better, but you would be amazed by the difference one person can make in facilities management. 

(3)   Responsiveness

“Responsiveness is the ability to react to changing requirements and respond to meet the needs to maintain support.”

Facilities management teams know the concept of responsiveness well. Just by resolving hot and cold calls alone, their workload is full. However, the decisions made in response to these calls can sometimes be counterproductive to the efforts of the Energy Sustainability Program. Facility managers must respond to the needs of their patients, customers, etc. immediately. No question there. But, there’s more than one way to solve a problem.

Overriding a set point to satisfy a temperature complaint is an effective solution most of the time. If the override remains indefinitely, then it’s most likely “undoing” some of the work achieved during implementation, like airside retro-commissioning. Eventually, all the energy cost savings will deplete, and operations will reset back to pre-project conditions. Not good.

Yet, it happens all the time.

If a damper is stuck in the closed position, overriding its set point isn’t going to solve anything. If the damper is truly stuck closed, then a technician won’t know something is wrong (at least not for a while) unless he goes to the air terminal unit and inspects the damper’s actuator. Otherwise, the temperature complaint remains unresolved, and time was unknowingly wasted trying to solve the problem with an override. The work order was probably closed after the set point was overridden, and the technician moved on to the next fire. Sound familiar?

To make better use of staff’s time, technology can be a tremendous relief. Given accurate and timely data, operators and technicians can make informed decisions and better understand the effects of their actions.

Many data analytics platforms exist for this purpose. Technology has evolved so that just about any cross-section of data can be trended, charted, and used to make operational decisions.

If an operator is properly trained on the software and understands the key performance indicators that signal if everything is okay or not, then HOURS of time (per FTE!) can be recovered and used to perform more productive tasks than blindly troubleshooting issues – like actually resolving them, or better yet, preventing them altogether.

I sat in on a presentation at a conference a few years ago, and the analogy the presenter gave stuck with me. He described the phenomenon of the "Prius Effect". This concept also applies to principle (2) Anticipation if the analytics are sophisticated enough to include predictive modeling.

The gist is when the Prius car first came to market, it revolutionized the way drivers engaged with their vehicles. The driver's dashboard would provide real-time feedback related to gas-mileage and how many miles were remaining on the existing fuel supply if the driver continued with current operations. Drivers typically responded to this information by easing up their lead foot, coasting during the downhill slopes, and maintaining a consistent RPM (or speed) when possible.

The concept is not much different than how operators control and manage energy systems. The behavioral shift changes from mindless operation to proactive optimization of fuel sources (and equipment performance). This type of feedback changes the way people think, and therefore, operate.

(4)   Simplicity

“Simplicity relates to processes and procedures to minimize the complexity of sustainment.”

Technological tools don’t have to be complex, either. Energy performance measurement and verification (M&V) is a simple, effective, and accurate indicator when determining if current operation is better, worse, or consistent when compared to a baseline period. When delivered and used daily, these M&V reports are the perfect communication vehicle to the facilities management team. Just by a glance at a graph, staff know if the decisions they made yesterday are sustaining the energy cost savings they achieved in Phase 3 of the Energy Sustainability Program (Implementation).

According to the Efficiency Valuation Organization (EVO), “energy, water or demand savings cannot be directly measured, because savings represent the absence of energy/water consumption or demand. Instead, savings are determined by comparing measured consumption or demand before and after implementation of a program, making suitable adjustments for changes in conditions.”

EVO’s International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP) Framework recommends these comparisons should be made on a consistent basis (daily or more frequent) using this general equation:

Savings = (Baseline Period Energy – Reporting Period Energy) ± Adjustments

Like I’ve mentioned before, IPMVP Option C: Whole Building is the M&V methodology most preferred by those that have implemented Energy Sustainability Programs like The Long Push. These initiatives are completed over multiple years and incorporate numerous energy cost reduction measures (ECRMs) as opposed to single equipment retrofits or replacements. 

The stoplight dashboard is another simple, yet effective, tool for operators and technicians. Green means everything is within normal operating parameters, yellow means to raise one eyebrow as certain measurements approach abnormal operating parameters, and red means two eyebrows are raised because equipment and systems are not operating as expected. Technicians don’t have to waste time sifting through building automaton system graphics and trends because they already know where to look.

(5) Economy

“Economy is providing sustainment resources in an efficient manner to enable a commander to employ all assets to achieve the greatest effect possible. It is achieved through efficient management and discipline, prioritizing and allocating resources, and capitalizing on joint interdependencies.”

The purpose of Phase Four – Sustainment in The Long Push is to maintain the energy cost savings achieved during Phase Three – Implementation.  Since this model is largely self-funded with energy cost savings, every dollar matters when progressing through the program. Sustainment processes and tools should ensure that no additional resources - specifically, time and money - are spent on redoing or re-implementing ECRMs previously executed.

I’ve made several presentations on this very topic, what I refer to as the “retro-commissioning taboo”. It starts with realizing quantifiable results from low hanging fruit projects like retro-commissioning. However, what’s not always accounted for in these projects is the need for cultural and behavioral change. The taboo reference addresses the issue that everyone wants to talk about the energy cost savings that retro-commissioning projects generate, but nobody talks about how these savings degrade back down to pre-project conditions (i.e. $0 savings) very quickly (results widely vary depending on numerous factors). I’ve seen retro-commissioning projects pay themselves back in less than 6 months and then lose all the savings they generated within another 6 months. The number one driver of this phenomenon is behavior.

Facilities teams will defer back to what they know works unless they understand and believe in another way. It’s that simple. A consultant comes into a facility, makes an impressive impact on operating costs, and then walks right out the door with all the knowledge of why they did what they did. Meanwhile, facilities teams appreciate the effort and might even agree things are better now than they were before, but unless they understand why the changes were made (not just what), then those results cannot be sustained.

The “retro-commissioning taboo” and similar situations are avoidable. Equipped with the right tools and empowered with the right training, facilities management teams can sustain positive results from the Energy Sustainability Program year after year.

(6) Survivability

“Survivability consists of a quality or capability of military forces which permits then to avoid or withstand hostile actions or environmental conditions while retaining the ability to fulfill their primary mission. In mitigating risks and minimizing disruptions to sustainment, commanders often must rely on the use of redundant sustainment capabilities and alternative support plans.”

Sounds serious.

Two things come to mind here: continuous progress meetings with leadership and annual operations and maintenance benchmarking.

The key component to The Long Push is sticking to the plan and staying the course. Each new phase builds upon the preceding phases completed; additionally, early realized savings are accumulated and reserved to fund latter phases (projects). Deviations from the plan could result in insufficient funding to complete the program in its entirety.

Annual plan review meetings should occur with key personnel to confirm that current project and strategic initiatives align with the program’s long-term goals. Sometimes, facilities will decide to deviate from the plan to execute a temporary solution for an unexpected equipment failure or recurring operational issue. These decisions can have detrimental impacts, especially if capital is wasted or used counter-productively.

In addition to annual review meetings, strategic meetings should be conducted every three years (approximate) with key personnel to realign program goals to strategic campus goals as they have changed and evolved over time. If necessary, phases within the Energy Sustainability Program should be adjusted to realign program outcomes with these strategic goals.

Another way to stay proactive is to perform annual operations and maintenance benchmarking.  There may come a time when you need to defend your staffing levels, and the best mechanism to do that is through objective analysis of your resourcing balance (i.e. benchmarking). A balanced blend of resourcing means the right, most cost-effective mix of insourcing and outsourcing. Every facility operates differently – budgets vary, skilled labor comes and goes, and equipment and systems widely differ in sophistication and vintage. To measure yourself against a flat square foot/FTE number is difficult to reason when considering these differences. Nevertheless, it happens all the time.

It’s especially important to secure the right number of staff with the necessary skills sets when sustaining significant energy cost savings and related equipment performance. From a total cost of ownership perspective, if internal staffing levels (skilled labor) decrease, then we can expect at some point, energy costs, repair and deferred maintenance costs, and service contract expenses will increase. Less staff to cover the same amount of floor area means that something will have to give.

(7) Continuity

“Continuity is the uninterrupted provision of sustainment across all levels…and is achieved through a system of integrated and focused networks linking sustainment across…other support capabilities and to operations. It assures confidence in sustainment allowing commanders’ freedom of action, operational reach and prolonged endurance.”

If an ideal is embraced at all levels, then it’s part of the organization’s culture. You’ll see evidence of this culture in the language spoken, within the details of daily routines, and the way the team behaves independently and with each other.

Every level must buy into the vision, and that’s going to take an investment of resources to train and educate across all levels. It starts when the facility manager becomes informed and builds a plan in Phase One. Next, executive leadership is brought into the plan development process when the facility manager presents the business case. Then, the facilities management team is engaged during Phase Three and realizes the tangible effects of improved and efficient equipment performance. The education continues in Phase Four with regular progress review meetings and financial status updates. From the boiler room to the board room, everyone is invested in the positive outcomes of the Energy Sustainability Program.

Even if you heavily relied on consultants or service providers during Phase Three, consider incorporating a technical training program into Phase Four. If you’re able to train two or three technicians or operators to fulfill (or at the least, maintain) the same scope items executed by outside parties, then you can begin transferring some of the external knowledge and expertise to your internal team. You’ll be much better positioned to sustain the efforts and long-term targets of the Energy Sustainability Program.

For those individuals that don’t receive training (reasons vary with aptitude and attitude), then there are some steps you can make to protect the energy cost savings already achieved and accumulated. A simple approach is to limit accessibility and control to the building automation system (BAS). Each BAS operator is assigned a unique login username and password, and these individual credentials are assigned a level of accessibility into the BAS. A novice operator might only receive read-only access. An operator with a proven history of sound decision-making and a fundamental knowledge base of energy systems might receive some read/write access. An energy manager might even have programming access. The point is to mitigate your risk to unnecessary operator overrides and inefficient operations with an access hierarchy.

To the extent possible, integrate regular business practices into the scope of the Energy Sustainability Program. For example, Phase One entailed an enormous data gathering effort of equipment inventory, utility bills, work order history, etc. Use this information to develop a utilities management plan for The Joint Commission (or similar for the appropriate Authority Having Jurisdiction). The same dataset can be used to develop an alternative equipment maintenance (AEM) program and other operations and maintenance procedures.

According to The Joint Commission, management shouldn’t necessarily detail how things are done but should provide assurance that there are processes in place to get things done and respond to risk. Using the information from Phase One, the lessons learned in Phase Three, and the training developed and executed in Phase Four, you have the recipe for a well-developed and thoughtful management plan.

(8) Improvisation

“Improvisation is the ability to adapt sustainment operations to unexpected situations or circumstances affecting a mission. It includes creating, inventing, arranging, or fabricating what is needed from what is available.”

“Facilities management teams improvise all day everyday – that’s part of the job. They’re responsible for making sure everything is up and running without any adverse effects to the occupants. They're basically modern day MacGyvers.

It should be expected that the plan is going to change. A lot. Prepare for the change by having processes in place to address it and manage the change by maintaining a current scope plan. If you’re meeting with leadership regularly (at least annually), then it will become necessary to document the original scope plan (scope items, budget, schedule for each project along with estimated energy cost savings, projected monthly cash flow, and other financial considerations) against the revised, actual version (replace “estimated” and “projected” with “calculated”). Collectively, decide how to address the deviations and establish next steps in the program. Then, you get back on track and stick to the plan.

That’s a wrap.

The Long Push is a roadmap from point A to point B.

Point A is the status quo – typically, this means inefficient operations, an unmanageable backlog of deferred maintenance, competing needs for strained capital, a reactive mindset and culture, and deficiencies in technical competencies among staff.

Point B is the potential – energy cost savings, improved equipment performance, a dedicated funding source to replace and renew aging infrastructure, a proactive mindset and culture, and a trained staff that operate as energy champions within your organization.

Geometry teaches us the shortest distance between Point A and Point B is a straight line. Make this visualization when you’re developing, pitching, implementing, and sustaining an Energy Sustainability Program like The Long Push. Each new phase of the program should support and continue the efforts of preceding phases and facilitate implementation of subsequent phases. Every project is a step (or push) in the same direction.

Thank you for sticking with the article series. I hope you found the information insightful and valuable to you and your organization.

About me: I have been responsible for the development and management of over $370 million in specialized energy solutions and infrastructure projects. Since starting my career in healthcare engineering consulting, I have provided healthcare facility managers with the tools and resources they need to make data-driven, well-informed decisions that improve their energy efficiency, building performance, and facility operations. The most recent of these solutions is a healthcare facilities operation and maintenance training program, the first of its kind in the industry. 

Let’s connect: If you have a success story in facilities management, I’d love to hear about it and learn how you made it happen.