Normally, December is the month in this newsletter that I delve into areas outside science and engineering and to more philosophical and business matters. But here is another article to contemplate as we begin a new year. One of the greatest dilemmas we face in running or managing a business is change; in other words, whether to “stay the course” or make changes. Making the right, or rather, avoiding the wrong, choice could be existential for your business or running your building.

It is rare that one experiences “smooth sailing” in running a business or building for a significant amount of time. Approaches may work now, but issues or barriers normally come up in time. How do you even recognize that a little problem is a little “speedbump” or a sign of issues to come?  Is the new issue temporary and, in time, will resolve itself? In other words, is it OK to ignore it? Or might it be the beginning of a cascade of problems? And, if so, is it a sign to change your approach or even the way you operate? Finally, even if important issues are not coming up, does it make sense to incorporate change anyway to prevent potential issues from coming up and/or not becoming stale?

I don’t have answers for these questions. Obviously, it all depends on the individual business, building, and circumstances, both markets and personalities. But remember that while buildings and businesses can be considered set “structures”, the circumstances they live in do change. Especially, we, as energy and environmental engineers, should be cognizant of that. Things change – technologies, economics, staffing – and we need to recognize that. We engineers should certainly keep up with new technologies, laws, and trends in our own specialty, but also think about the bigger picture, how it affects us and our businesses. Should we ourselves change course, and, if so, how drastically and when? In addition, we should use information about changing conditions in our consulting and be able to provide information on such changes to our clients and colleagues and anticipate how it might affect them.

For example, there are major changes occurring in New York City in the climate action and energy efficiency areas. While energy efficiency has been applauded and awarded with incentives, it was not mandatory. Now it is. Local Law 97, which went into effect in 2019, mandates energy efficiency or clean energy standards be met by 2024 or the building owner faces high fines. Six-figure fines. CCES has helped several building owners and managers deal with the implications of this change and go forward with smart projects to reduce energy usage to eliminate any potential fine. But I also have discussed LL 97 with several building owners at risk yet are ignoring the law and risk massive fines. In one old commercial building in a poorer section of NYC, the building was simultaneously heating and cooling the spaces and was using very inefficient lighting. When I calculate a potential high fine if such usage continued, the owners shrugged their shoulders and ignored the warning. They ignored a major change.

Hoping for this new year, that you confront the new challenges and barriers that come up in your business and you think it through and execute smart strategies in reaction.

CCES can help your firm anticipate issues in the energy and environmental realms and develop smart strategies for you to choose from to address them. Contact us today at karell@CCESworld.com or at 914-584-6720 to discuss at no charge.