Powerhouse Management Services
2781 Lancaster Road Suite 401 K1B 1A7 Ottawa, ON, Canada

Through our Building Automation System (BAS) call centre, we have found that our clients faced much confusion during COVID. The constant changes to hours of operation brought a lot of uncertainty. We suspect that many retailers were faced with the same challenges. When retailers were closed, they may not have put their locations into unoccupied status. Because of this, their lighting and HVAC schedules remained as if the stores were open. During the curbside P/U stage, staf...f was most likely reduced with no customers in the store, full lighting and HVAC set points were likely in occupied mode. Also, hours for curbside were reduced, but were schedules adjusted to accommodate this? All of these scenarios would have resulted in excess gas and electric usage during a time when revenue was greatly reduced. Now that your stores are open, are your operational hours the same as they were pre-COVID? Many retailers may have reverted back to their default schedules once they reopened, but a lot of locations may be at reduced hours. This needs to be accounted for in the BAS, otherwise you may be paying for extended hours unnecessarily. Remember, your Building Automation System is just a tool. It can only be used to its full potential with effective monitoring and management. #energymanagement #buildingautomation

The attached article focuses on residential, but it also applies to commercial (multi-site retail). As stated, certain provinces have lower energy costs based on their method of energy production. Provinces producing electricity through hydroelectric have a lower resale price to the consumer, while those using nuclear, gas or coal have a higher "resale" price (wind and solar, higher still). Retailers focus their store placements on population, not provincial energy costs, h...owever, savings can be found. For example, if a company decides to complete a lighting retrofit, theyll decide on an overall budget, then start the project on their oldest store. This isnt advisable, as some of those stores may be in low-cost provinces. Instead, rank all the locations provincially, then within the provinces, start with the highest consuming locations (usage per sq./ft.). Because of energy variances, ROI will differ province to province. In high-rate provinces, the ROI will be higher post-retrofit than in low-rate provinces. In some instances, it might not make financial sense to move ahead with a retrofit project at some locations due to the low cost of energy vs total project cost. #energymanagement is key in securing energy cost savings. Contact us to talk more on ways to save!

Scammers are evolving and are doing everything they can to make a quick buck off of hard-working retailers. One of our clients received a call from one of their store managers in Alberta. The call was from EPCOR Canada (utility company in Alberta), notifying them that they are two months behind in bill payments and risk having their utilities disconnected if a payment wasnt made immediately. Our client called us (since we take care of their utility bills), and we assured... them that this was a scam, yet took down the information they were provided. We called the number, and were met with: "Hello, this is Alectra", a utility company in Ontario (we are based in Ottawa). I called out the scam artist on the phone and was hung up on. Simon Lapointe, our Project Manager, wanted to know how far they would have taken us had we been ignorant to their scheme, so the next day, he called the number again, pretending to be a client who received a call about being late on his utility bill. Alectra Utilities, how may I help you? Hi, I got a call saying Im behind on my bills, and they gave me this number to call back. Simon was then transferred to an associate who asked for an account number (which Simon made up). The account number was connected to someone in Vaughan Ontario. The associate notified Simon that a technician is en route to his property to disconnect his utilities, but reassured him that the tech can be called back once the late bills are taken care of. The first option was a cash payment at their office in Mississauga. That option didnt work for Simon. He lives 2 hours away (another made-up stat). The associate transferred Simon to a supervisor to discuss the second option. The person directed Simon to a location 15 minutes away where he could make his payment. It was a convenience store. Once Simon got there, he was to call another number for instructions on how to pay. Simon said thank you and hung up. He then called Vaughan Police, detailing his conversation with Alectra. A few days later, we received a call from Vaughan Police, giving us more detail on the situation. We found out that theres a Bitcoin machine installed at the convenience store Simon was directed to. People would go to the machine, call the number, then receive instructions on how to pay. Bitcoin cannot be traced to a person or profile, so its the perfect way for money to disappear. A few takeaways: 1) If you do receive a call like this, check your utility records and call your provider to confirm that your account is up-to-date 2) If youre a store manager, notify your head office when a call like this is made to your location. 3) Utilities will never ask you to make a payment through Bitcoin. As we open up our stores and tend to our properties, remember to be diligent and wise out there. Lets watch out for each other!

We are as excited as a kid on their first day of school! A big congratulations to all the schools who participated in this contest, you exceeded our expectations and broadened our horizons in acting as a judge in this contest. Couldnt be more proud of Staples Canada for their generosity in doubling the number of schools to be awarded funds for upgrades to their current technology.... #thankfulthursday #brightfuture #generosity

Today, as the Prime Minister addressed Canada, he noted that 3,000 companies have stepped up to see how they could be of service. So admirable, like superheroes showing up to help with the rescue. One such company, and our client, @SmartCenters REIT has offered to donate up to 1 million square feet within 200 shopping centers, along with necessary signage to assist the governments health agency against COVID-19. With their properties being conveniently located at intersecti...ons, this offers the capability to accommodate drive-through and walk-in clinics among other benefits. It does a heart good to hear the words of Mitchell Goldhar, the Executive Chairman of SmartCentres, who was quoted to say "We are not just a Canadian company, we are Canadians. The impulse to help one another is embedded in the DNA of our culture. We will use every means available to us to help every one of our fellow Canadians." As kids, Captain Canuck was the poster boy for Canada. With the motto stating " a true, compassionate, and kind guy who just wants to help." The perfect description for our modern-day superheroes wouldnt you say?

There is no question that the times we are living in now constantly challenge businesses to evolve and in doing so, become part of the solution With larger businesses, for example, Staples offering services such as curbside pickup, it helps smaller businesses, like ours, to continue to provide for our clients who are playing a much larger role in essential services. So many businesses large and small have certainly stepped up to the plate, some by donating an abundance of food, also free meals for kids, healthcare workers along with first responders. Some are making sanitizer, designers are sewing masks. With all for one and one for all, forgetting the bottom line, this is our "feel good" for this Friday. #feelgoodfriday #bravo #inthistogether

I hope to bring a little encouragement today. First, Id like to personally thank Staples Canada for the invitation to be one of the judges for the Ontario Region portion of the "2020 Superpower your School Contest." This contest engages schools to compete by sharing their environmental practices and goals, in an attempt to win a generous gift prize given by Staples Canada to upgrade their technology. Can I just say, I was not prepared to be as impressed as I am, with the va...ried and ingenious practices already put in place by these young people? Who would have ever thought schools could change the direction of grocery store practices, be a part of bird conservation, use hydroponic units to produce fresh produce, and the list goes on. I applaud all of the schools in their endeavors to impact our world in such forward-thinking and conscientious measures. See more

"The great aim of education is not knowledge but action" -Herbert Spencer This quote is the exact mindset embraced by Powerhouses owner, Wayne Beamish, who has sought to share valuable experience with his latest blog " Fluctuating Water Usage is an Unforeseen Hit to the Bottom Line". Wed like to thank Connex for their invitation to publish this on their webpage. https://bit.ly/2uXFx8G

You cannot see them but Vik has green thumbs. While being a dedicated hardworking employee, he still finds time to nurture our green leafy friends in the office. A little watering, some misting and a name tag go along way in the botanical world...And in our office world too. We sure appreciate you Vik, and also to the rest of you who "have your hands in the pot" making our office one happy place. #greatemployees #gogreen #nutured

5 QUESTIONS YOU REALLY SHOULD ASK YOURSELF With consideration to your companys utility data management process: 1) Are you tracking more than just the cost and taxes? 2) Are you paying needless late fees? 3) Are you actively identifying your "bad apple" sites?... 4) If retrofits have been completed, are you aware if the estimated ROI has been reached? 5) Are you certain you are paying for the right meter and that meter is servicing your space, not others? We hope that you will "take five" minutes to determine if your process is complete. If you should find you arent confident in your answers, keep in mind we have successfully resolved those questions for our clients resulting in cost avoidance and recoveries. Heres what they have to say https://bit.ly/2vljk4a

February is often a month that turns ones thoughts to tropical getaways. Not in our office! With 3 avid curlers among us, coffee chatter often consists of the last nights game, future bonspiels and of course, upcoming events such as the @Scottiestournamentofhearts and @theBrier coming to nearby Kingston. This is how we #embracewinter.

A Business is made up of people. We feel productivity thrives best in an environment of well being. After all, if we dont all reach the finish line together, then whats the point? Watch the video and share #BellLetsTalk #mentalhealth

Please sign the petition before Jan 29th and lets make the City of Ottawa a success story. https://bit.ly/2Gdku43 We are thinking Marys Place Housing Program would be ideal.

We are "Big" on Tiny homes for the future! As an energy reducing based business, we looked into the carbon footprint of these homes, with articles suggesting a reduction of 45% in one case study of 80 tiny home owners. https://bit.ly/2smT4VS . Our children will have to adopt this mindset, thankfully many already do, in order to impact the worlds changing climate. https://bit.ly/37XTXU6... #tinyhomes #bigidea #afforablehousing

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapture is New Years Day" ( Edith Lovejoy Pierce) A Blessed and Happy 2020 to all!

Wishing our Staff and Clients a Merry Christmas, and the Happiest of Holidays...:] (photo by Thambi Rajan A M)

Do you have locations in Alberta? At the risk of sounding like a broken record, we cannot stress enough the 3 Rs, review, review, review. What we have discovered recently on some of the electric bills we have audited, has been an eyeopener with excess charges of $30-$40k for some of our clients. Whether or not your are billed directly by one of the utilties or through your Retailer, you may be in the same boat.... All we would need from you is a copy of one recent bill, we offer a free audit. Could it be any easier? Email us: [email protected]

Way to go Mexico City, Mexico ..we take our somberos off to you! The Glice eco-skating rink technology uses no power, water, chemicals or resurfacing equipment to operate and offers an ecological and economical alternative to refrigerated ice. Could this be something useful for Canada? #glice #ecofriendly #trailblazer

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go. -T.S. Eliott So go we did, to the very top on behalf of our client. If you have locations in the province of Ontario.. Read more: https://bit.ly/2RIKH1l... #persistance #diligencepaysoff #mountaintop

Can You Reduce Operational Costs by Scrutinizing Your Utility Bills? Wayne Beamish emphatically says YES ! if you know where to look. While the article he wrote was published for Connex, which is a forum for multi-site retail companies across North America, any company can benefit by reading the article and starting to scrutinize their utility bills. Read it here: https://bit.ly/37KaKe7... #wednesdaywisdom #scrutinize #costavoidance

Perhaps driving in traffic, especially with Winter settling in, is where #kindness will be most welcome. While we cant limit the amount of bad drivers out there , we can be kind, it is within you to give. #worldkindnessday #patience #winterishere

With remembrance and gratitude.

Well done Ottawa.. Starting today until Nov.11, #OttCity will be offering veterans wearing their uniform or medals no charge transit for Veterans Week. Transit will be no charge to everyone on Nov. 11. More info: https://bit.ly/2CcJrKK #LestWeForget #CanadaRemembers

We believe our office environment contributes to the well-being of our employees. So as you can see, a little friendly competition between our #hardworking guys keeps things lively and #stressfree, plus the nicknames are hilarious. One game takes very little time, and the dividends are well worth it. What do you do at your office to invite smiles?

One of our national clients, Princess Auto is offering this very cutting edge opportunity if you are interested.

While they say " A picture is worth a thousand words" we dont have quite THAT many to describe our boss, Wayne Beamish on #NationalBossDay. But here are a few we did think of... #supportive #dedicated #compassionate #professional #determined #leader #teamplayer #happy #enthusiastic

Every day is a Mental Health day. Lets take care of ourselves and those around us.

"Turn off the lights" might be something you heard your mother call out daily in your household growing up, knowing less use meant less cost. While that manual function was simple to do, companies today have to find a more controlled and cost-effective approach, that is where #smarttechnology comes in. Two of our #nationalclients have made the move to install lighting retrofits. One being @Rexall, who have reduced their electrical usage over the last 4 years to a total of 26... million kwh equating to 25% from their benchmark or $5,000 savings per store every year, and as well @Staples reducing theirs over the last 18months to 1.2 million kwh equating to 25% from their benchmark or $8,000 per store every year. This has resulted in smarter energy usage, reduced costs, as well as becoming a more #environmentfriendly participant in the business community. Such a bright idea! See more

If your weekend didnt include laundry for your work attire, heres a novel idea with technology utilizing manpower instead of electricity or gas. #mondaymotivation #gentlewasher #greatidea

Never trust to general impressions, my boy, but concentrate yourself upon details. Sherlock Holmes We are all about the details, that is how our special "team of investigators" operate. It requires time, discussion and persistence to get to the bottom of unsolved issues, take for example the "Case of the Mysterious Undetected Leak". When one of our national clients stores showed a higher than normal water consumption, we alerted the store, they found and fixed a leak. Pr...oblem solved, or was it? Without ruining the ending, in which you can read here https://bit.ly/2l3YxNJ We CAN tell you there was a cost avoidance of $7,000.00. Pretty good detective work, wouldnt you agree?

We have the best staff! and its a perfect day to put a #Smile on their faces. #smilecookie #todaystheday #timhortons #beststaff

How much is your water worth to you? While the phrase "its like a drop in a bucket" refers to an insignificant amount, what if those drops were not only adding up but you were paying for someone elses? That is exactly what we look for, figures that dont add up. We discovered a water meter for @Staples was also servicing the big box store next door. An agreement between the Landlord and that neighboring retailer was reached and @Staples will recover $12,737.37 for the last... 3 1/2 years. Now that sounds more like a waterfall, dont you agree? Check out our Free Audit brochure- https://bit.ly/2ZrLLek

In her own words.. "Confidence is almost everything to a player, I want to be an inspiration to as many people as I can." Bianca Andreescu It took an incredible amount of confidence and determination to continue to play "her game" despite the crowds, and Serenas fierce desire for a comeback. But that patient persistence paid off in #sweetvictory .... In our words... #determinationwins #youareaninspiration We will take that into our business mindset.

#WheresWayneWednesday We found him! Hard at work @Powerhouse Management Services. Do you have a Wayne in your office? #hardworker #greatboss

How #confident are you that the charges on your water utility bill are ONLY for your meter? Just recently, through our specialized data process, we found an anomaly for high water usage on one of our clients water accounts. Investigating the possibilities for this spike, we determined that our clients meter was servicing other areas of the plaza as well as their own. We notified the landlord, who reimbursed our client for the past 7 years resulting in a recovery cost of $...7610.00. Dont let your money go down the drain! Let us give you the same confidence with our #free audit, to learn more :https://bit.ly/2Mnvpwe See more

Everyone knows "seeing is believing" but we could not believe our eyes when we saw the figures! In the year 2019 to date, we have recovered $96,388.71 for our client Rexall, using our efficient auditing process where we determined a wrong rate category on their electrical bills. We feel pretty proud of ourselves, and would #tootourownhorn if we knew how to play one. What we DO know is how to save you money, so with our no cost or risk free audit, what are you waiting for? Let us bring some music to your ears. https://bit.ly/2ZrLLek

" The right hand never knows what the left hand is doing" ...in this case even the left hand didnt know. Happy Belated #Lefthandersday to all the other creative #lefties out there. You will always be in #goodhands with Powerhouse services, we use both, the right and the left.

"Someday is not a day of the week" - Denise Brennan-Nelson With #Canadasclimate warming up twice as fast as the rest of the world, https://bit.ly/2FNkozv "someday" is no longer an option. Bravo to this little town #edenmills for stepping up to the plate.... We too, are happy to provide our clients with reports to track their #greenhousegasemissions enabling them to be part of the solution, instead of the problem.