We’re excited to celebrate Brandon Money, CEM, CSDP, who was recently recognized as the AEE Energy Manager of the Year for the Mid-Atlantic & Southeast US Region. As Global Energy Manager at AFL, an EnergyCAP customer, Brandon led a groundbreaking initiative that leveraged our platform to automate nearly 200 utility accounts, uncovering $304,000 in annual savings while dramatically reducing carbon emissions. His data-driven leadership at AFL exemplifies how organizations can use EnergyCAP to streamline sustainability efforts, achieve measurable cost savings, and reinforce their commitment to responsible energy use.
Q&A
Q: How did you get started in energy management and sustainability leadership?
Brandon: I spent almost 20 years in the energy generation field, primarily nuclear, before I decided I was ready for a change. That transition opened a door into renewable energy and energy efficiency. I quickly developed a passion not only for energy management but for the broader world of sustainability.
Fast forward a few years, and AFL, who had been a customer of Duke Energy, posted an opening for someone to create an energy program from scratch. It was the perfect opportunity to combine my technical background with a more strategic, long-term vision.
Q: How did AFL achieve over $300,000 in annual energy savings using EnergyCAP?
Brandon: $300,000 is actually an outdated number! We’ve gone beyond that now. The key has been tracking and analyzing our utility bills through EnergyCAP. The software helps us identify anomalies, everything from water and natural gas leaks to opportunities in rate structure analysis.
For example, we saved over $100,000 annually just by putting our electrical contracts on the right rate structures. The utility bill flags in EnergyCAP are like having another member of my team; if I see red flags, I know to investigate. Often it points to billing errors or excessive commodity use. That visibility has been critical to our results.
Q: What role did an energy conservation culture play in your success at AFL?
Brandon: Culture change is always tough, but it’s been essential. We invested time in making energy conservation personal for stakeholders. EnergyCAP reports and distributions have been a huge help, when people receive data that’s relevant to their operations, it sparks curiosity.
We started simple, sending usage and cost trends month-over-month, and immediately people wanted more ways to visualize the data. The most important step was securing support from the top. Having our CEO and executive committee onboard has been invaluable in pushing the program forward.
Q: What challenges do organizations face when managing energy data and utility accounts?
Brandon: The first challenge is getting away from spreadsheets. Excel is prone to errors and inefficiencies, and it’s difficult to make decisions based on unreliable data.
The second challenge is the complexity of utility markets. Regulations and rate structures differ across states and countries. What works in one region doesn’t apply in another. You either need in-house expertise or you need to partner with experts to navigate it effectively.
Q: How does technology like EnergyCAP help improve energy efficiency and sustainability reporting?
Brandon: The biggest benefit is eliminating manual labor. EnergyCAP has drastically reduced the time we spend collecting, analyzing, and displaying information.
I’ll be transparent here—the reporting aspect still has room for improvement. But in terms of data accuracy, anomaly detection, and utility bill management, the platform has been invaluable in moving us away from manual processes.
Q: What is one energy efficiency project at AFL you are most proud of?
Brandon: There isn’t just one. Onsite solar installations are always exciting, but I really appreciate the low-cost or no-cost projects. Things like machine idling, equipment shutdowns, and eliminating redundancy. Those projects don’t require capital investment, yet they deliver real savings. My philosophy is simple: the cheapest energy is the energy you don’t use in the first place.
Q: What advice do you have for professionals who want to become energy managers or pursue a CEM certification?
Brandon: Good luck—that’s still the hardest test I’ve ever taken! But it’s worth it. Those three little letters, “CEM,” are in high demand. The certification pushes you outside your comfort zone and equips you to speak confidently about all aspects of your organization’s energy use. We need more CEMs in the world.
Q: What is the AEE Energy Manager of the Year Award and what does it mean to you?
Brandon: You can look up the details online, but for me, it comes down to gratitude. I’m appreciative that my work was recognized outside of AFL and that someone thought enough of it to nominate me. There are so many talented people in this field who deserve recognition, so I’m honored to have been considered.
Q: What are your future goals as Global Energy Manager at AFL?
Brandon: My focus is on honoring the commitments we’ve made to employees, customers, and business partners. We’ve set ambitious energy and sustainability goals, and achieving them will require effort across the entire organization. I’m excited to see us roll up our sleeves and deliver on those promises.
