---
title: Six low-cost energy wins that can help protect NOI
description: Discover six low-cost strategies for property managers to reduce operating costs and protect net operating income without major capital investments.
---

[IREM Blog](https://blog.irem.org)

# [Six low-cost energy wins that can help protect NOI](https://blog.irem.org/six-low-cost-energy-wins-that-can-help-protect-noi)

 Written by [IREM](https://blog.irem.org/author/irem) | Oct 6, 2026, 7:01:16 PM

Property managers can reduce operating costs and protect net operating income (NOI) without a major capital project. Recommissioning controls, tightening schedules, optimizing lighting, sealing air leaks, and using benchmarking data more effectively can uncover savings from systems already in place. For upgrades that require equipment, no-upfront-capital options may provide a path forward.

### Key takeaways

- Recommission building controls before replacing equipment.
- Align HVAC, lighting, and other operating schedules with actual occupancy.
- Review lighting controls regularly, even after LED upgrades.
- Address small envelope leaks that increase heating and cooling loads.
- Use benchmarking data to catch performance issues early.
- Explore financing and service models that don’t require upfront capital.

The IREM® Certified Sustainable Property (CSP) certification can help standardize benchmarking, target-setting, operational reviews, and continuous improvement efforts across a property or portfolio.

#### 1. Recommission building controls before replacing equipment

Energy waste often starts with operating drift, not equipment failure. Sensors lose calibration, overrides remain in place after service calls, and setpoints shift over time.

A recommissioning review should:

- Remove unnecessary overrides
- Verify sensor accuracy
- Restore approved setpoints
- Confirm equipment staging and economizer operation
- Compare current programming with documented sequences

Before approving major capital projects, asset managers can use recommissioning as a repeatable, portfolio-wide first step.

#### 2. Match equipment schedules to actual occupancy

Many buildings operate equipment longer than necessary. Compare building automation system (BAS) schedules with actual occupancy to identify excess runtime in:

- Air handlers, fans, and pumps
- Garage ventilation systems
- Hot-water recirculation pumps
- Common-area lighting
- Plug loads

Common issues include continuously running fans, unnecessary weekend operation, and economizers that fail to engage when conditions allow. Always verify life safety, indoor air quality, lease, and code requirements before changing schedules.

#### 3. Optimize lighting controls and operating hours

LED retrofits can deliver significant savings, but lighting controls still need periodic review.

Audit:

- Parking garages
- Stairwells and corridors
- Restrooms and mechanical rooms
- Exterior lighting
- Other after-hours spaces

Check occupancy sensors, photocells, dimming settings, and time clocks to ensure they reflect current building use. Many adjustments require little or no new equipment and can generate immediate savings.

#### 4. Address small building-envelope leaks

Minor air leaks can create ongoing heating and cooling costs while affecting occupant comfort.

Inspect:

- Loading dock and service doors
- Weatherstripping and door sweeps
- Roof and wall penetrations
- Utility penetrations
- Vestibules and stairwell doors
- Areas modified during tenant improvements

These low-cost repairs can reduce HVAC load, improve comfort, and help limit moisture intrusion.

#### 5. Use benchmarking data to identify performance drift

Properties already tracking data in ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager® have a valuable early-warning system.

Review performance at least quarterly by comparing:

- Current energy use intensity (EUI) against historical performance
- Energy use against occupancy, operating hours, and vacancy
- Utility bills against meter data
- Consumption changes against maintenance logs and BAS alarms

The goal is to identify persistent changes that could indicate scheduling errors, failed sensors, leaking valves, simultaneous heating and cooling, or declining equipment performance.

#### 6. Explore no-upfront-capital options for larger upgrades

Once operational improvements have been captured, equipment upgrades may still deliver additional savings. Several financing and service structures can reduce or eliminate upfront capital requirements.

Options to evaluate include:

- Energy-as-a-service (EaaS) and lighting-as-a-service
- Energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs)
- Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing
- Utility on-bill financing and rebate programs
- Demand response programs

Before moving forward, consider lease structure, ownership hold period, measurement and verification (M&V) requirements, and lender consent.

### How IREM CSP supports a low-cost energy strategy

Properties pursuing the IREM Certified Sustainable Property (CSP) certification are often already working on many of these practices. The CSP provides a framework for documenting sustainable operations, tracking performance, and communicating results to owners, investors, and tenants.

The benchmarking and measurement practices recognized by CSP can also support programs such as EaaS, ESPCs, and C-PACE.

### The bottom line

Protecting NOI doesn’t always require a large capital investment. Improving schedules, controls, maintenance practices, and performance monitoring can uncover meaningful savings using existing building systems. Once those opportunities are captured, property teams can evaluate financing and service models that support larger upgrades without upfront capital.

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