PRSM Association’s Retail Energy Benchmarking Study Helps Retailers Reduce Energy Costs

The Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association, (PRSM), the authority on retail, multi-site facilities management, released its Energy Benchmarking Initiative Study. The study highlights the current benchmark of retail energy management practices as well as future opportunities to implement financially attractive energy efficiency projects. The report also presents energy management alternatives such as green leases, negotiations at fit-up/renewal and ways to minimize common area maintenance (CAM) charges that help drive energy management activities.

“PRSM Association is becoming a leader in developing ways to improve energy management in Retail Facilities Management (FM) operations,” says Bill Yanek, CEO, PRSM. “We are committed to doing so because competent energy management, which includes sustainability, energy efficiency, carbon footprints and social responsibility, is critical to the success of FM operations.”

The study shows that while 62% of retailers use best practices in lighting, only 45% use best practices to manage HVAC energy usage.  Overall the study reports that 50% of all retailers use some type of energy management best practice. 

In addition, the study provides best practices in four core energy use areas – organizational energy management, lighting, HVAC and refrigeration. Each section related to those four areas also details strategies and technologies to guide effective energy decision making. When implemented properly, these best practices, strategies and technologies can simultaneously spur significant cost savings and improve the customer experience.

PRSM Association’s report, “Energy Benchmarking Initiative Study,” is available for PRSM members at www.prsm.com.

PRSM Association’s Resources Center provides management tools for the Retail FM and supplier community. Resources include quarterly white paper releases; the annual Best Practices Book, representing a wide spectrum of FM industry trades; and the Retail Facilities Benchmarking program, along with other research-based Trends Reports, and Buyer’s Guide resources (print and online). Resources also include the bi-monthly magazine, Professional Retail Store Maintenance (print and electronic), and PRSM Weekly (a news-focused e-newsletter).