It's that time of year again, heating season. Throughout the New York metro area, property managers are crossing their fingers that it won't be a cold winter and that the price of oil won't increase. A better approach is to take complete control of your buildings and run them efficiently this heating season. Measure your building: To view energy usage for your building or an entire portfolio, you typically need two components: 1. an energy management system, such as the USE Controller EMS, which controls the boiler/chiller using the outdoor and indoor temperatures taken together, and 2. an online Energy Information System (EIS), such as the USE Manager. With these systems in place, information monitoring can be conducted via the Internet in real-time from anywhere in the world. Take control: Take a look at what temperatures you have been running in your buildings and track this information by days of the week and time of day. Look at your boiler's runtime and how it changes throughout heating season. Take a proactive approach to lowering your building's average temperature one degree at a time. Monitor: Monitor your buildings and use real-time data to determine if you are operating at peak efficiency and saving money. For example, is the stack temperature too high? If so, does that appear to be affecting run-time? Do the tubes need to be cleaned? Is there a water leak? Online energy information systems can alert you if there are items in your buildings that need your immediate attention. If you are taking a proactive approach and monitoring using an energy management system and an online energy information system, you can save 15-30%. This savings can make a tremendous difference in your fuel bill and benefits the environment. By measuring, planning and monitoring - you are in command. Jerry Pindus is CEO & founder of US Energy Group, Fresh Meadow, N.Y.