More Doors Podcast
Ep. 70 - How to Cut Apartment Utility Costs & Boost NOI with Mary Nitschke
Are utility costs and data centers quietly eating away at your property’s NOI? ️ In this episode of the More Doors Podcast , host Matt Buchalski sits down with Mary Nitschke , Director of Strategic Accounts at Public Grid and host of The Utility Room podcast. With over two decades of experience spanning property management, syndications, and utility technologies, Mary shares an energetic, deeply knowledgeable breakdown of how operators can turn "the Frankenstein's monster" of utilities into a powerful asset. Mary unpacks the history of submetering and RUBS, explaining how legislative mandates like California's SB 7 changed the construction landscape. We explore the massive impact of grid constraints, peaker plants, and the rise of data centers—including why Virginia saw a 30% jump in energy costs and why data centers pose a greater threat to water than electricity. Additionally, Mary breaks down the economics of single-stream recycling, why cardboard per pound is outperforming aluminum, how local green building performance standards (like New York's Local Law 97) act as health ratings for renters, and how she uses AI and Claude in Excel to make complex analytics "visually appetizing." In this episode, you’ll learn: Submetering vs. RUBS: How utility billing evolved from 1990s conservation efforts to modern state-by-state mandates. The Fourth Utility: Why current renters would rather have their water shut off than lose internet connection. The True Cost of Data Centers: Why AI infrastructure is straining municipal water supplies and driving up regional energy pricing. Texas Renewable Power: Why Texas is the largest producer of wind energy in the US and how community solar offsets costs without hardware. Monetizing the Blue Bin: How proper waste sorting prevents $2,000+ contamination fines and drives property NOI. ⭐ Enjoying the show? Don't forget to hit that subscribe button and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Want to learn more about Multifamily Investing? Sign up for our newsletter and create your Investor Profile here - https://deepbluere.com Use TORE Studios to start your own podcast or create video content - https://torestudios.com ________________________________________________________ CHAPTERS 0:00 Welcome to Episode 70: Multifamily Utilities & Market Realities 1:40 Introducing Mary Nitschke: Director of Strategic Accounts at Public Grid 2:35 25 Years in the Game: From Tax Credit Appeals to Utility Nerd 3:55 The Origin of RUBS and Submetering: Lessons from UDR in the '90s 6:45 Why Master Metered Buildings Dominate Older Construction 8:40 Submetering Mandates: State Regulations and California’s SB 7 10:35 The Fourth Utility: Why Internet Outpaces Water in Tenant Priority 12:00 Making the Leap: Transitioning from Operator to Vendor 13:00 Building RealPage Smart Waste and Making Utilities "Accessible" 16:15 The Unsung Heroes: Why Maintenance Teams Drive Sustainability 17:35 Moving Fast at Public Grid: Bringing Green Power to the Grid 20:00 Texas Power Breakdown: Why Wind Outpaces Solar in the Lone Star State 21:40 Lowest Cost vs. Lowest Rate: Spotting Predatory Green Programs 22:50 How Community Solar Allocations Work for Multifamily 23:45 Straining the Grid: Peaker Plants, Carbon, and Population Growth 26:45 Land Use Shifts: Why California Central Valley Farmers Harvest Solar 28:20 The Rise of AI Data Centers: Virginia Energy Spikes and Water Shortages 31:05 Space Satellites & Subsea Servers: Future-Proofing Tech Infrastructure 33:00 The 2024 Tenant Survey: Efficiency, LED Lights, and Local Law 97 Grades 36:00 Energy Savings as an Amenity Without Heavy CapEx 38:00 The Economics of Recycling: Why Cardboard Exceeds Aluminum 40:45 Negotiating Trash Contracts and Avoiding $2,000 Contamination Fees 44:00 City Diversion Mandates: Dallas Ordinances and Austin's Daily Fines 45:10 The Utility Room Podcast & Using AI to Visualize Data in Excel 47:30 Closing Thoughts & Where to Connect with Mary
