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Understanding the potential of facilities managers to be advocates for energy efficiency retrofits in mid-tier commercial office buildings

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  • Curtis, Jim
  • Walton, Andrea
  • Dodd, Michael

Abstract

Realising energy efficiency opportunities in new commercial office buildings is an easier task than retrofitting older, mid-tier building stock. As a result, a number of government programs aim to support retrofits by offering grants, upgrades, and energy audits to facilitate energy efficiency opportunities. This study reports on a state government program in Victoria, Australia, where the uptake of such offerings was lower than expected, prompting the program team to consider whether targeting facilities managers (FMs), rather than building owners, might be a better way of delivering the program. The influences and practices of FMs that impact on their ability to be advocates for energy efficiency were explored. The results revealed that complex building ownership arrangements, poor communication skills, isolation from key decision making processes, a lack of credible business cases and information, split incentives, and the prospect of business disruptions can all impact on FMs’ ability to drive organizational change. Future program efforts should continue to interrogate the social context of retrofits in mid-tier buildings, including other influences and influencers beyond FMs, and adapt accordingly.

Suggested Citation

  • Curtis, Jim & Walton, Andrea & Dodd, Michael, 2017. "Understanding the potential of facilities managers to be advocates for energy efficiency retrofits in mid-tier commercial office buildings," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 98-104.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:103:y:2017:i:c:p:98-104
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2017.01.016
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    Cited by:

    1. Eka Sudarmaji & Sri Ambarwati & Mira Munira, 2022. "Measurement of the Rebound Effect on Urban Household Energy Consumption Savings," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 12(5), pages 88-100, September.
    2. Daly, Daniel & Carr, Chantel & Daly, Matthew & McGuirk, Pauline & Stanes, Elyse & Santala, Inka, 2023. "Extending urban energy transitions to the mid-tier: Insights into energy efficiency from the management of HVAC maintenance in ‘mid-tier’ office buildings," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    3. Bishal Baniya, 2023. "Circularity in Facility Management: Conceptualisation and Potential Areas for Circularity-Oriented Actions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-27, May.
    4. Roth, Jonathan & Brown IV, Howard Alexander & Jain, Rishee K., 2020. "Harnessing smart meter data for a Multitiered Energy Management Performance Indicators (MEMPI) framework: A facility manager informed approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).

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