About

Who is Ikehu Utility Solutions?

Ikehu Utility Solutions is a leader in comprehensive utility expense management and billing services. Our focus is providing customized utility solutions for communities nationwide. Our innovative solutions include property management software integration, resident payment processing, in-house collections department, Utility Expense Management (UEM), Vacant Cost Recovery (VCR), and regulatory support.

Ikehu Utility Solutions, About

THINKING GREEN TO KEEP OUR PLANET BLUE

Ikehu Utility Solutions is dedicated to a sustainable environment through awareness and conservation.

Our Values

Ikehu Utility Solutions is dedicated to the environment by promoting various conservation efforts. Master utility bills sent from providers list national, state, and local conservation programs to encourage users to conserve utilities; if bills are not paid by those who are consuming those utilities, they are unaware of conservation efforts. Ikehu Utility Solutions strives to educate the end-user about conservation efforts and provide tips on how to conserve utilities. “Thinking Green” is both an ethical lifestyle and economical choice.

Water and Waste Water (Sewer)

“Thinking Green” is often related to air pollution and carbon emissions, but freshwater supplies are disappearing all over the world. Did you know only 1% of the earth’s water supply is available for drinking; that is why conservation is essential. As supply falls and demand increases, the cost you pay for water will increase too. Conserving and reducing water usage will decrease the cost of water.

The United States water and infrastructure supply and drainage pipes are aging, as are waste treatment plants. These are requiring costly investments by local utility companies.

Gas and Electric

“Thinking Green” is about developing and creating a lifestyle based on environmentally friendly habits. Creating new habits to help reduce the amount of energy and natural resources you use on a daily, weekly, monthly, and annual basis will save you money. Basic needs include heating, cooling, lighting, and cooling. Each day you use natural gas and electricity to perform daily tasks. Due to the recent increases in price, many households are looking for ways to reduce their monthly cost. By practicing conservation, you can reduce the amount you pay and save on natural gas and electricity. **When possible, use Energy Star appliances, light fixtures, and light bulbs to conserve electricity.

Payment Address

Ikehu Utility Solutions
Payment Department
P.O. Box 86379
San Diego, CA 92138-6229

Corporate Office

Ikehu Utility Solutions
1001 Bishop Street, Suite 2817
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

Conscious Energy Use

An obvious trend has emerged now that residents are responsible for their own utility bills. Before the days of submetering, it was not uncommon to see windows open or hear air conditioners running in the middle of winter with heaters going full blast. It was a way to cool down the apartment, but now that residents are responsible for their own bills, they tend to just turn down the heat.

Great Incentives

Accurately monitoring each apartment home’s electrical usage gives greater incentive for residents to conserve energy, since they are paying for exactly what they use. During a one-year period, an average of 17 percent less energy was consumed in the submetered residences.

Adding to the Bottom Line

We have calculated the increase in property value that comes along with submetering. For instance, on a property with 285 apartment homes with an average water bill of $7,000 per month, we can add up to $6,000 or more per month to the bottom line. At a 9 percent capitalization rate, that equates to a property value increase of $800,000.

Recouped Cost

The results did not disappoint me. In December the bills declined after we began billing residents for their water consumption. In March 2003 and April 2003 bills were approximately $270 per day; May fell to $254. The difference between $462 in April 2001 and $270 in April 2003 is $192 per day – a payback of less than one year. The payback actually is much faster because we are collecting about $2000 each month from the billing program, an amount that should double by year-end as new leases are signed.

Responsive and Professional

We have found Ikehu Utility Solutions to be an extremely professional company. Their representatives are always responsive and attentive to our questions, as well as being very knowledgeable of all state regulations regarding utility billing. They gave us suggestions for increasing our revenue and we have seen a marked increase in collections and revenue since we started using their services. We are very pleased with all aspects of their service and look forward to a long, continued relationship with Ikehu Utility Solutions.

Increased Property Value

Many other property owners have told me that they do not have the money to make the initial investment to install meters. But I recommend that they find a way to fund it because the payback is rapid — usually about one year to 18 months, and the revenue recovery is ongoing. For example, when we purchased a 169 apartment home community in Indianapolis, I asked our bank to add the cost of meter installation onto our loan, which they readily did after I demonstrated how the program significantly increases property value. It cost about $225 per apartment home to install the gas submeters at the property, for a total of $38,025, and our mortgage increased by only $500 per month. The gas bill for that property alone is $85,000 per year and we recover about 70 percent of those costs, after factoring out common area and vacant apartment home costs, a savings of $59,500 per year, which far surpasses the initial installation cost. Another benefit is that our property value has increased exponentially, which I calculated by taking the $59,500 at a 9.5 percent cap rate (rates can vary) which raised the property value by more than $500,000.

Seamless Transition

Ikehu Utility Solutions has done an excellent job with our properties. They are very professional and have seamlessly transitioned many of our apartment buildings to the Ratio Utility Billing program, as well as setting up online automated meter reading and billing with our newer properties. I would recommend them to small and large property owners alike.

About

THINKING GREEN TO KEEP OUR PLANET BLUE

Our Values

Water and Waste Water (Sewer)

Gas and Electric

Payment Address

Corporate Office

Ikehu Utility Solutions Customer Testimonials

Conscious Energy Use

Great Incentives

Adding to the Bottom Line

Recouped Cost

Responsive and Professional

Increased Property Value

Seamless Transition

Hawaii Utility Billing Services

Thinking green to keep our planet blue

Hawaii Headquarters

Account Management

Sales Team

Customer Service