Jim's experience in energy management has resulted in improvements and savings for hundreds of companies in upstate New York. He knows what works.

Q: What is involved in an Energy Audit?
A: A thorough assessment of what equipment exists, its energy usage and opportunities for improvement. It's usually summarized in a report. This includes financial assessments and alternatives.

Q: What is Green Energy? I heard that many companies offer Green Energy Programs.
A: Green Energy is energy that is produced from renewable resources such as wood, biomass and wind. Many companies are now offering Green Energy programs.

Q: I live in the Syracuse area and wonder why our energy isn't less expensive because we live near Niagara Falls. Shouldn't we get a break from living so close to that hydroelectric power?
A: National Grid's delivery charges are negotiated with the Public Service Commission. The kilowatts themselves are produced by other entities than us. As a customer, you have the opportunity to purchase your kilowatts from an energy marketer, in hopes of negotiating a lower price. Our delivery charges are dictated by our tariffs (i.e., rate agreements with the PSC).

Q: I've been told that turning lights on and off requires energy so you might as well leave them on. Is this true?
A: Absolutely not true. There is no increased energy use in the turning on of the switch. Therefore when lights are not in use, turn them off.

Q: What is the single best thing a small business can do to better manage their energy?
A: As energy is a big part of every business, evaluating the business on a month to month basis exploring opportunities and making energy part of your business plan is the most effective thing to do. The results will fall into place.

Q: What does Electric and Natural Gas Deregulation really do for us? I changed over to the Market Rate Plan last year and actually had to pay more.
A: Deregulation at a macro level results in customer choice and the unbundling of services traditionally done by utilities and National Grid. Today, all customers have an opportunity to select another energy supplier for their kilowatts and therms of gas and these two products will be delivered over our infrastructure (wires and pipes). Today, we are clearly a delivery company and not a generator. Increases in your bill last year most likely reflected the high market prices of energy - which we pass directly to our customers. As a direct pass-through, we do not mark up the cost of the energy itself. To assess the reason for fluctuations in bills, customers should look at their energy bills in terms of supply and cost of the kilowatts, versus the delivery charge (Niagara Mohawk's portion, i.e., the cost to get the kilowatts to your business).

Q: Do you think what happened with the California energy situation will happen to us in NYS?
A: No. In terms of the safeguards that have been put in place and the function of the NY Independent System Operator, it is highly unlikely that a Calf. situation would occur in NY.

Q: Does Nimo offer a service where someone can stop by and run an energy audit of my office?
A: Our settlement agreement (with the PSC) prohibits us from conducting energy audits in customer's facilities. Energy service companies (ESCO's) are available to conduct a thorough audit. These companies can be found at our website. We can only provide energy information, but is prohibited from conducting a true energy audit. This energy info can also be found at our website.

Q: What are your thoughts on programmable thermostats?
A: Since the temp in most homes and businesses change throughout the day, it is highly recommended that programmable thermostats be used to optimize your energy usage relative to heating and cooling. They are very inexpensive and can usually be obtained for less than one hundred dollars. The payback on these is usually less than one year.

Q: Hi, I have lived in my new house for 10 years and have never had the furnace checked. What do you check for and how often should you have it serviced?
A: Clearly, a furnace that has not been checked for 10 years should undergo servicing. Hopefully at least the filter has been changed, but failure to routinely maintain a furnace properly will result in decreased efficiency and higher energy usage. It can also become a safety issue. Depending on conditions, a routine checks (every year or every other year) should be done. There are many components after 10 years that could need replacement.

Q: Hi Jim, what do you think about programmable thermostats? Are they worth the cost? What is the difference between them and just turning down the thermostat manually when you go to bed, for example?
A: Amy, we answered the first part of your question above, but programmable thermostats allow you to control the temperature more than just once a day and allow you to have your house warm or cool itself without you actually being there.

Q: How would I go about determining how my energy usage increases or decreases throughout the day so I can analyze the data to reduce the peak usage?
A: You would have to inventory what pieces of equipment are on and off at various times and the energy usage of this equipment. Then determine if these energy intensive draws can be moved to other times of the day. Remember, try to prioritize your more energy-intensive loads. Most equipment usage can be found on the nameplate. From this information, you can address financial concerns and implement realistic solutions.

Q: Jim, do you ever get out in the communities to conduct energy management training geared towards small business?
A: Yes. Annually, I conduct small business seminars on Energy Management and Power Quality across National Grid's franchise territory. If requested, I can also conduct sessions for a specific local group or organization. These sessions are normally free of charge.

Q: I heard that leaving your furnace at a constant setting is most efficient for office spaces.
A: Assuming you are a one-shift 8 to 5 operation, I would clearly look at doing night and weekend set backs. Maintaining constant temps for the additional 16 hours a day, and on non-work days, clearly would not be cost effective and would increase the wear and tear to heating and cooling equipment.

Q: How many and where should you place carbon monoxide detectors in your home?
A: Since the weight of carbon dioxide is heavier than air, most carbon dioxide detectors will not be at the ceiling level. I have one placed in my home in an upstairs hallway, outside of bedrooms, located 3 feet above the floor. Clearly, the reading of the monitor will be effected by the location due to the density of the carbon monoxide gas.

Q: Jim, what is involved in an Energy Audit?
A: Amy, we answered this question earlier in the chat. If you have a specific question about an energy audit, please let us know. Otherwise, just scroll up and check out my previous answer.

Q: I am starting a new business. Can National Grid help me estimate my monthly energy bill for budgeting purposes?
A: Yes. We can do that quite easily. Just contact us with specifics and I'm sure we can come up with a reasonable estimate.

Q: Do solar panels really work?
A: Photovoltaic technology has come a long way in recent years. The biggest issue becomes the cost associated with the system installation and how it competes against other sources of energy. Clearly, a green energy source (solar/photovoltaic systems) should be evaluated for practical installations.

Jim also indicates that there may be funding available within NYS and at the federal level for photovoltaic installations.

Q: Sometimes in the winter my office's air conditioning comes on? I think that it is a combined heating and air conditioning system, but what would cause this? We have the settings turned way up.
A: I would need to look at the system components and find out if it is a single or zoned system. Potentially, this could be a problem. On the other hand, there could be a need for heat in one area and a request for cooling in another - which is perfectly normal. It really depends on the design of the system in place. Also, having an economizer cycle, which takes in fresh air, can be playing a role as to what's happening at any given point.

Q: Thank you for talking with us today!
A: My pleasure. I hope it was informative.

Q: What is Energy Star? You see it on all new appliances these days.
A: Energy Star offers consumers energy efficient solution while protecting the environment at the same time. The theory behind energy star is if customers buy energy efficient appliances, they will save money in operating the appliance and it is fewer kilowatts that need to be generated form fossil plants - resulting in less emissions.

Q: Is it true that buildings need a certain amount of air leakage to bring in fresh air?
A: To avoid the sick-building syndrome, which we've all heard of in commercial office buildings, heating and cooling design standards dictate that a certain percentage of air should enter the building per occupant.

Q: How would you rate the following home improvements in terms of investment required and the payback period and the amount of energy saved: 1. Insulate hot water pipes 2. Insulate heating ductwork 3. Insulate basement walls 4. Replace electric clothes drier with gas clothes dryer. Thanks.
A: I would rank them as #4, #1, #2, #3. Typically, this would be the order. However, operating conditions and building condition would be factors to consider. Also, number of dryer loads, amount of hot water used and whether the basement is heated, would all be factors that need to be addressed.

Q: What kinds of things can you do to your home to help reduce overall energy costs?
A: Because that's a pretty open-ended question, and it varies significantly from house to house, just contact us and I can provide a more detailed answer.

This wraps up our Executive Chat session for today. BizBOOM.com and National Grid would like to thank Mr. Stapleton for his time today in providing expert advice to the upstate NY small business community.