New device can help owners cut winter heating costs.

Heating oil is expected to remain at record high prices through the winter, but building owners and landowners can combat these high costs and limit their losses with a simple device called a "Heat Computer," which can cut heating costs by up to 50%.

Building owners and landlords are facing thousands of dollars more in heating costs this winter--burning up profits--as oil prices continue to soar. With winter just around the corner there is no relief in sight from the high oil prices that have consumed media attention and tarnished the carefree days of summer.

Most frustrating for landlords is the tendency for apartments in multiunit buildings to overheat, forcing tenants to leave windows open all winter long, wasting energy and essentially heating the street. The reason? Most boilers are controlled by inefficient timers that regulate the heat, running whenever the temperature outside falls below 55 degrees. Heat Computers, manufactured by OAS, Inc,, however, have sensors that measure the temperatures inside the buildings. Consequently, the Heat Computer only runs when temperatures inside the building fall below a comfortable level, about 6-10 hours per day, whereas a regular timer can run as many as 18-24 hours a day, even if the temperature inside has remained constant.

"Building superintendents often get blamed for not properly maintaining the boiler systems and the subsequent high heating costs. In reality, the boiler is running inefficiently because of the timer, wasting energy and costing more money," says Edward Winiarski, president of OAS, Inc.

The Heat Computer's monitoring system allows building managers to track their building's heating system performance remotely via computer. The easy-to-use software records data from a building's heating systems, analyzes it and emails the findings to the building manager. Savings are realized almost immediately using the Heat Computer, with the system paying for itself in as little as eight months.

"I realized about 20% in savings in my first test building and I consistently get at least 15% across all of my buildings after rolling out the Heat Computer. It works well, and the monitoring service is very helpful. With oil prices as high as they are, I can make my investment back in one season," said Mark Engle, president and CEO of Langsam Properties Corp., a Bronx-based real estate management company.