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Pacific Utility Audit, Inc.

Pacific Utility Audit, Inc.

(800) 576-1010

We provide utility audits for community associations, apartment buildings, businesses, commercial properties, cities, parks and landscape districts.

COFFEE AND ZOOM WITH PACIFIC UTILITY AUDIT!

by | Sep 20, 2026 | Company Information, Reducing Utility Expenses, Utility Savings Solutions | 0 comments

All annual utility costs continue to increase year after year.

All community managers have to deal with these increasing utility costs.

Let us help you to learn ways to decrease these utility costs for the properties that you manage!

We would be happy to host a Coffee and Zoom Presentation for your company!

All participants receive a Starbucks Gift Card and we also have continuing education credit options available for eligible participants.

You can set this up through Erin Kelly, Director Of Operations, at 800-576-1010 or puainc@yahoo.com.

 

Course Description Overview:

 

Annual Utility Costs Keep Increasing! What Can You Do About It?

 

UTILITY COMPANIES MAKE MISTAKES!

The truth of the matter is that over-billing is widespread. In addition, the vast majority of utility customers pay their utility bills largely by guesswork, and you are probably paying more than you should.

UTILITY COMPANIES MAKE MISTAKES – WHY?

1) Lack of Expertise

2) Too Small Staff & Budget

3) No Compensation for Reporting Mistakes & Errors – More work with no reward.

4) Predetermined Opinion by Utility & Telephone Employee

5) Misinformation – Utility employees not briefed on new billing rates or rate options

6) Inadequate Company Supervision

TOP UTILITY BILLING ERRORS:

• Misplaced decimal points
• Meter reader or employees input incorrect data, which then creates incorrect utility bills.
• Charges for non-existing equipment
• Misread meters
• Miscalibrated meters or estimated reads
• Incorrectly applied utility taxes

UTILITY AUDITS VERSUS ENERGY AUDITS:

A utility audit reduces the per unit utility cost, whereas submetering, new equipment, rebate programs and energy management services, for examples, only reduce the number of units used! Therefore, utility auditing is completely different from energy auditing and much more effective at reducing the annual utility cost with no out-of-pocket expenses or changes in equipment hours or uses!

Energy efficient equipment upgrades are ‘standard best practice’ for achieving lower costs. But they also deliver diminishing returns. Since utility rates only go up, once new equipment achieves ROI, your financial payback diminishes every year. When a utility audit identifies a better rate, it reduces your per-unit cost from then on. This means you continue to get the same percentage of savings every month, even as rates go up. Combined, they allow you to achieve maximum cost control and energy reduction.

DON’T UTILITY COMPANIES PROVIDE UTILITY AUDITS?

No! This is the most common misconception about utility audits. The Utility companies provide
energy audits, not utility audits! The utility companies will make suggestions to their customers on how they can reduce their consumption of electricity, water, gas, etc. by the following two methods: energy efficient equipment or by changing when and how you use your utilities.
In most cases, the utility company employees are not even familiar with all of their own rate schedules, how rates are applied or alternative billing methods.

WHY ASSOCIATIONS SHOULD DO IT ALL: UTILITY AUDITS, ENERGY AUDITS, CONSERVATION, EQUIPMENT UPGRADES, RETROFITTING, REBATES AND BROKERING – BUT IN THE RIGHT ORDER!!:

Why is it so important to do these in the right order?

You do not want to do energy audits, conservation, retrofitting, equipment upgrades, rebates or brokering before a utility audit – Why?

1) Potential Undercharges:

2) Energy Audits/Conservation/Retrofitting: Payback on new equipment is not always cost-effective.

3) Rebates / Utility Company Audit Programs: Your goals and your utility company’s goals are not always the same:

4) Brokering: Your goals and broker’s goals are not always the same:

WHAT ARE UTILITY TARIFFS AND HOW TO SELECT TARIFFS THAT SAVE MONEY!

How To Request a Different Tariff: Customers can request a different tariff either by filling out a form online on their utility’s website, which may involve a wait period and electronic signature, or by calling their utility provider directly. No cost is typically attached to a tariff change. The utility often requires its customers to agree to a one or two-year contract with the new rate structure.

THE TAKEAWAY

Saving money on utility bills does not always stem from using less energy. By understanding how to spot utility billing errors and understanding the breadth of tariffs that are available, managers can easily monitor and reduce annual utility expenses.for the communities that they manage.