Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Where is Vermont and why is Kilawatt Technologies located there?
A: Vermont is one of the 50 United States and our offices are 300 miles north of New York City and just south of the Canadian border. We have about 600,000 people and roughly the same number of cows. We are the nation’s “bluest” and greenest state and are known for Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, having the only socialist senator in the U.S and, of course home of Kilawatt Technologies. We were recently voted “the state most likely to secede.” It’s so cold most of the year that we have nothing better to do than sit around thinking up innovative ways to save energy and fight global warming.
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Q: What size buildings qualify for using Kilawatt Technologies innovative software, products and services?
A: There is no minimum size for our eKilawatt products. When we provide conservation engineering services on site, the minimum electricity bill is typically $100,000 a year.
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Q: What makes you different then other energy services providers who say they can accomplish the same results?
A: One word…EnerSuite. No other company can bring to your organization the level of sophisticated technology we’ve developed.
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Q: Can you provide eKilawatt anywhere?
A: Our eKilawatt products can be used by anyone around the world. All we need is a building and the internet. On-site conservation engineering services can be provided by regional partners in New England and the mid-Atlantic. Other U.S. locations are served by our corporate office in Vermont.
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Q: What’s the difference between eKilawatt products and Kilawatt conservation engineering services?
A: eKilawatt products can be provided remotely without a site visit…….all we need is your bills or access to your building’s automation systems to stream information data to EnerSuite. Our conservation engineering services typically require on-site visits, though some services, such as sophisticated financial analyses, can be provided off-site. All products and services are based on our powerful EnerSuite software and available to you regardless of what you decide best meets your needs, and achieves your goals.
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Q: Do I need to learn how to use Kilawatt’s EnerSuite software?
A: Nope. We do all the work and deliver the results by the internet.
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Q: Can Kilawatt Technologies produce a “carbon footprint” for my company?
A: Yes. We calculate greenhouse gases emitted from the electricity and fuel you use, so you know the carbon footprint for those sources. Carbon footprints can also include activities such as gasoline that employees use commuting to work or energy used to ship product and so forth. We can refer you to one of our partners who will calculate your carbon footprint beyond your electricity and fuel use, though electricity and fuel usually make up the great majority of your carbon emissions.
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Q: Can Kilawatt Technologies help me become “carbon neutral?”
A: Yes. The smartest way to become carbon neutral is first to reducing your energy consumption, which is what Kilawatt does. Then you use the charts we prepare that document your CO2 emissions and purchase “carbon credits” which fund renewable energy or “green” projects that offset your carbon use. Kilawatt does not sell carbon offset credits but can refer you to companies who do.
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Q: How do I start my energy saving program?
A: You start with the past. eEnergyAssess inputs and analyzes your past bills, consumption, rates and costs, so you know where you’re starting from. We use this information to develop goals, if you don’t already have them. From there, we figure out the best ways to achieve your goals at the lowest cost.
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Q: How long does it take before I begin saving energy?
A: eKilawatt provides information that needs to be acted upon, so when you start saving is up to you. When we take on an on-site engineering project, we usually see results within 2-3 months.
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Q: How long is your on-site engineering service for a building or campus?
A: Most contracts last two years. It takes us a year to address all the different equipment that comes on-line each season and a year to make sure that the new procedures are institutionalized.
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Q: Why do I need Kilawatt Technologies if I already have a building automation system?
A: You especially need Kilawatt if you have a Building Automation System (BAS). While these sophisticated systems have the ability to manage your energy use, they are rarely set up to do so. As a matter of fact, a recent report stated that the buildings with BAS’s consumed more electricity than those having simpler controls. There are three reasons why BAS’s don’t perform properly. First, the people who install them make the most money from installation and much less from service, so their emphasis is on selling more software and equipment rather than optimizing the systems. Second, BAS’s don’t readily store data that is needed to figure out how systems are operating, so no one knows what’s happening. Third, building maintenance workers are seldom trained in how to use the BAS’s. Using sophisticated software incorrectly will waste energy and money. Kilawatt’s on-site conservation engineering services and the eBASAnalyzer provide clear proof of equipment operation and recommendations for making energy-saving changes. Kilawatt is the only sure way to know what your system is doing.
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Q: Can Kilawatt help me if I have an “energy-efficient” building?
A: If you mean that you have installed energy efficient equipment, such as lights, computers and HVAC components, the answer is “yes.” As a matter of fact, we usually get higher savings from such buildings because the occupants reason that energy efficient equipment is so cheap to operate, that it can be left on.
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Q: What happens at the end of the contract? How do I make sure my savings endure?
A: This is a very important question, since small operational and computer settings changes at any time can greatly increase energy costs. The eEnergyAssess tracking service analyzes your bills every month and reports any abnormal increases. When we find a problem, we can help you isolated the causes. If you have a building automation system, our eBASAnalyzer analyzes your equipment operation and reports on any changes that might lower your savings.
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Q: Does Kilawatt sell equipment or energy?
A: No and No. If we suggest a vendor for a particular project, it is because we have experience working with that company and like their product and service. We do not sell equipment, nor do we take commissions on the sale of equipment. If you are in a deregulated state, we can refer you to a company that can help you purchase electricity at the best rate, but we don’t profit from the referral. This policy allows us to work exclusively for you in your best interest.
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Q: My maintenance staff is already maxed out. How am I going to implement your recommendations?
A: You’re not alone. Maintenance is often underfunded or the first program to be cut when budgets are tightened. We are careful about using your maintenance staff time, but they are the “boots on the ground” who know the most about your building’s equipment, history and problems. Some Kilawatt recommendations involve simple settings changes. Others may require a bit more time. If your maintenance staff is not available, we suggest that you use the people you usually rely on to help with the changes. Since Kilawatt recommendations are so clear and well-documented, you can usually pass them along to the electricians, mechanics or BAS technicians to implement them and save valuable work or billable time. Again, the problems are usually easy to correct by the person most familiar with the system.
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Q: What’s the difference between “Base Use” and a “Baseline” and which do I need and why?
A: You need Base Use to get to a Baseline. When we analyze past bills (preferably two years worth), we normalize the data for differences in billing cycle days and rate changes so we have an accurate monthly record of your consumption and cost. This normalized past record is called your “Base Use.” After we correct for any anomalies and factor in an annual rate of growth (averages about 2% in the U.S.), we can produce a two-year Baseline. A Baseline is your expected energy use and costs over two years if you did not implement the Kilawatt program or any other energy saving program. A Baseline can be adjusted to account for different use patterns and changing rates, and is necessary to accurately chart savings.
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Q: I’m looking at hiring an ESCO (energy saving company) to replace equipment in my facility. The equipment and their fees are provided from energy savings over 10 years. Can Kilawatt Technologies help me verify the savings?
A: Smart question. Third party verification is a must and Kilawatt Technologies’s EnerSuite can provide measurements and valuation (M & V). Here’s why EnerSuite’s verification is such a good idea. Most, if not all, equipment salesmen use an “average cost per kWh” to calculate projected savings, a practice that in rarely accurate. Just how inaccurate this method is depends on the interaction of your consumption with your utility tariff. If your tariff, for example, charges disproportionately for KW demand, the “average cost per kWh” method can produce errors as large as 3x. This means that a quoted payback of 7 years could actually be 21 years. Our financial analyses are calculated by entering the projects kWh and KW savings directly into the rate to calculate the real savings. So, using Kilawatt Technologies and EnerSuite to verify savings is a very smart and cost-effective choice. It is the only way to prove that you received the savings you were promised.
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Q: Kilawatt Technologies offers “conservation engineering services,” why not efficiency? Do you have something against efficient equipment?
A: When most people think of saving energy, they think of replacing inefficient equipment with new, more efficient equipment. Though this is what equipment vendors want you to believe, this approach is not the most cost effective strategy. Say you had a car that got 20 miles to the gallon, ran 24 hours a day and was costing you a lot in fuel. You could run out and buy a Prius and run that 24 hours a day and you would save fuel and money. But if you addressed conservation first and turned off your old car when you didn’t need it to run, you’d save a ton of money with no investment. Once you’ve conserved, then run the economics of purchasing new equipment, otherwise you will be capitalizing waste. Our mantra is “conservation first,” then buy efficient equipment. It’s all about economics.
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Q: This is complicated stuff…do the frequently asked questions ever end?
A: Congratulations…you made it to the bottom of the page. Yes, it is complicated and our company has extensive experience (powered by lots of coffee and chocolate!) to make this a painless, successful and rewarding experience!
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