When Portland attorneys Tony Motschenbacher and Chris Blattner purchased the historic Mikado Building in downtown Portland, they knew they’d need to make improvements.
High on that list was increasing the building’s energy efficiency, which the new owners approached as a multi-step process.
“A 130-year-old building like this has a lot of opportunities for greater efficiency,” says the building’s property manager Tina Walker. “You can’t necessarily tackle them all at once. Our intent is to work our way toward more and more efficiency as capital allows.”
Save More, Matter More™ sparks next project
Yamhill Partners LLC, which owns the Mikado Building, located at SW 1st and Taylor, pays the utility bills for a majority of the building. Yamhill Partners pledged in the 2009 PGE Save More, Matter More campaign to update lighting on the second floor and the building’s core, which includes the stairwell, elevators and basement.
“We liked the idea of the campaign, and thought the timing was right to pledge and do the next thing on our list,” Walker says. “We hope to save money on our utilities, certainly, but also want to take part in a community effort to reduce our impact.”
Yamhill Partners has made other efficiency upgrades to the building, including:
Installing a reflective, membrane roof to reduce heat gain in summer
Upgrading lights on the building’s third floor, occupied by tenants
Installing new, energy-efficient HVAC systems and heat pumps for the entire building
Using ceiling fans to push heat down from the building’s 13-15-foot interior ceilings
“Significant” energy savings expected
Energy Trust estimates that the lighting retrofits on the two top floors and the building’s core will save a combined 60 percent of the building’s lighting-related electricity use.
Coupled with robust incentives and tax rebates, the project will pay back in less than two years. That’s a strong motivator even in a down economy.
But economics aren’t the only goal. Better lighting will reduce eyestrain in a building full of people who spend lots of time scrutinizing reference books, contracts and computers. It will also make the space more appealing for tenants and visitors.
Given the building’s history and architectural details, it’s also about maintaining the building’s quality. “There’s lots of pride of ownership for this building,” Walker says. “It’s extremely satisfying to see these improvements being made.”
Real-life results at the Mikado Building
Measures implemented
Estimated annual energy saving
- 66,600 kWh (entire building)
Financial incentives
Benefits
- 1.8 year payback
- Lower carbon footprint
- Brighter, more functional lighting
- Healthier environment — less eyestrain
- Reduced maintenance
- More inviting atmosphere
- More inviting atmosphere for tenants, staff and guests