oregon facilities

IN THIS ISSUE: Office Market Forecast

Spring 2011Spring 2011

2 I OREGON FACILITIES SPRING 2011

In the current economy, partnering with the right vendors is critical to buildingoperations. Building owners and managers don’t have the budget or time totolerate over-promising, under-delivering vendors. Whether it’s a serviceagreement or a new project, choosing the right vendor is critical. Vendors are anextension of your organization and can have a negative or positive impact onyour building’s appearance, functionality and bottom line.

As a building owner or manager you must understand what your needs are inorder to make the right vendor selection. Knowing if the vendor has a local,regional or national footprint can be an important piece of information in theselection process. Sometimes choosing a local vendor allows for a closerrelationship with the crew actually performing the service. If you managemultiple facilities, a regional or national vendor may have more comprehensiveservices and capabilities, saving you time and money on contracts and billing.

Other considerations when selecting a vendor include: Do they have reportingcapabilities that can be shared in order to improve efficiencies? Can they offer asingle point-of-contact that can be reached at any time? What are theirprocedures for emergencies, and do they have the ability to respond quickly?Oftentimes, you won’t find a vendor that matches your needs exactly. In thatcase, the vendor you select should be adaptable and present creative solutions.

The articles and advertising appearing in Oregon Facilities are aimed at helpingbuilding owners and managers make informed decisions regarding construction,modernization and management of their buildings. If you have comments orsuggestions, please feel free to contact us. We want to share your stories aboutbest practices and successful vendor relationships.

Editorial AssistantBrooklyn Ashy

Art DirectorDoug Conboy

Contributing Writers

Managing EditorOregon Facilities

Oregon FacilitiesPO Box 970281, Orem, Utah 84097Office: 801.224.5500 / Fax: 801.407.1602JengoMedia.com

EDITOR’S LETTER CONTENTS

The publisher is not responsible for the accuracy of the articles in Oregon Facilities. The information contained within has been obtained from sources believedto be reliable. Neither the publisher nor any other party assumes liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on this material. Appropriate professionaladvice should be sought before making decisions.

Copyright 2011 Oregon Facilities Magazine. Oregon Facilities is a Trademark owned by Jengo Media LC

PublisherTravis [email protected]

Managing EditorKelly [email protected]

AdvertisingThomas [email protected]

Oregon Facilities is a proudBOMA National Associate member.

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Curt LundineJohn MedakEric Baxter

Katie MillerDavid LyonsDerek J. Bliss

BetterBricks Awards

LEED EBOM

Disaster Preparedness

Elevators

Security

Landscaping

Office Forecast

Boilers

Briefly

On the cover:Construction of the Port of Portlandwas directed by Bill Wyatt, executivedirector, who received the Oregon/SWWashington BetterBricksOwner/Developer Award. Photocourtesy Port of Portland.

The OldSpaghetti FactoryThe OldSpaghetti Factory

OREGON BUILDINGS SUMMER 2010 I 3


Oregon/SW WashingtonBetterBricksAwardsAnnual Awards Recognize Leadersin Commercial Real Estate Industrywho Aim for SustainabilityBy Kelly Lux

OREGON FACILITIES SPRING 2011 I 5

T he Lewis & Clark Facilities

Services Team, under thedirection of Richard Bettega, has

implemented more than 60 energyconservation projects on the Lewis &Clark campus during the last twodecades. The team’s efforts in reducingannual electricity consumption by4,220,000 kWh and annual natural gasconsumption by 240,000 therms, amongother conservation measures, helped toearn them the Oregon/SW WashingtonBetterBricks Awards in the FacilityManager/Operator Category.

Facility Manager/Operator Award“We are thrilled to be recognized by

BetterBricks. It’s always gratifying whenour energy efficiency and conservationefforts are recognized outside of ourorganization,” said Bettega. “I believeour team received this award because ofour consistent application ofconservation technology and methods,which have resulted in significantmeasurable reductions over time.”

The BetterBricks Awards recognizeindividuals like the Lewis & ClarkFacilities Team in the commercialbuilding industry who are leading theway for high performance commercial

buildings with an emphasis on energyefficiency. For eight years, the NorthwestEnergy Efficiency Alliance’s BetterBricksinitiative has been awarding buildingowners, designers, engineers, architects,operations staff and service professionalsand other building professionalsthroughout the Northwest for theircommitment to sustainability. Awardcategories include architect, designengineer, advocate, owner/developer,facility manager/operator, emergingleader and property manager.

BetterBricks is the commercialbuilding initiative of the NEEA, whichis supported by Northwest electricutilities. Through BetterBricks, NEEAadvances ideas to accelerate energysavings in new and existing commercialbuildings. BetterBricks education andtraining, online resources andrecognition of industry leaders guideand inspire building professionals toembrace best practices, improve energyperformance and achieve theirsustainability goals.

“The Lewis & Clark community isacutely aware and interested inenvironmental and sustainabilityinitiatives,” Bettega said. “Our teamreflects this value in its facilitymanagement approach, in both short-term work and long-term projects.”

Energy conservation projects doneby the Lewis & Clark Team includelighting and controls upgrades, steamvalve replacement, installation of energymanagement systems, retro-commissioning and controls tunes,installation of VFDs, boilerreplacements, central plant upgrades,installation of building level energymeters and installation of sub-metersfor major equipment. In the last fiveyears, the college, through the efforts ofthe facilities services team, has saved 14percent in total electricity consumed,21 percent in natural gas consumed andreduced its total gross greenhouse gasemissions by 27 percent.

“The team, and the college that itsupports, has been successful due to acombination of bread-and-butterconservation projects and far-reaching,forward-thinking projects that set(them) apart,” said award nominatorChristy Love, an environmentalperformance analyst for Mazzetti NashLipsey Burch.

The Rose Quarter Operations Team,which manages the Rose Garden Arenafor the Portland Trail Blazers, was afinalist for the Facility Manager/Operator Category due to their recentcommitment and actions towardsustainability. Nearly three years ago, theorganization decided to investigate howtheir activities impacted the environmentand to minimize their carbon footprint

continued on page 6

through sustainable measures.The operations team implemented

several energy efficient projects,including energy audits to identifyfurther measures, lighting retrofits,changes to building operations plans,development of sequence of operationsand sub-metering to isolate and measureadditional facility building operations.The team also performed envelopestudies, increased controls andimplemented on-going commissioningand lighting/energy sweeps.Additionally, the Rose Quarterdedicated a week in April tosustainability, educating the public onhow they could decrease energydemands and increase recycling. Blazerfans were encouraged to walk, bike andcarpool to the events. The company alsoreplaced gas-powered vehicles withelectrical vehicles and bicycles.

“These measures have reformed theculture of the organization into onethat constantly and consistently looksfor ways to enhance our building andreduce our environmental footprint,”said award nominator Justin Zeulner,director of sustainability and planningfor the Rose Quarter Arena.

The efforts of the Rose Quarter

Operations Team were instrumental inearning the Rose Garden ArenaLeadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design (LEED) ExistingBuilding Gold certification.The arenanow saves more than two million kWh’sannually and focuses its efforts onsustainable purchasing strategies, indoorenvironmental air quality and buildingenvelope enhancements.

Property Manager AwardBrian Pearce and the Portland

Property Management Team of UnicoProperties believe providing premiercustomer service is part of sustainability,a concept that is deeply ingrained inUnico’s approach to propertymanagement, said Sharon Mead,director of marketing and communica-tions for Unico Properties.

“Providing excellent customerservice is the act of building sustainablehuman relationships,” Mead said.“Premier customer service isn’t muchdifferent from energy conservation orsustainable management of the builtenvironment; it is simply goodstewardship and good business.”

Viewing environmental stewardshipas a corporate responsibility, Unicobelieves this stewardship will benefit its

buildings by creating a more sustainableenvironment and providing a greaterservice for its tenants. Unico began itssustainable efforts with the purchase ofthe U.S. Bancorp Tower, which wasretrofitted and re-commissioned toensure equipment was running at itsdesigned optimal range. Variablefrequency drives were added to every airhandler and pump in the building.Lighting in the building common areaswas replaced with energy-efficientcompact fluorescent light bulbs and T-8fluorescents.These projects are saving$600,000 a year in operating costs anddelivered a 61 percent return oninvestment.The building also receivedLEED-EB Silver certification.

Nearly $125,000 was saved annuallyin operating costs at Unico’sCommonwealth Building once theHVAC system was rebuilt, a buildingautomation system was installed andthe multi-zone system was retrofittedwith a DDC system. Green leasingtactics — which implement practiceslike using energy-efficient lighting andequipment, green cleaning products andlow- or no-VOC paints, recycling andcomposting — were also implementedat the Commonwealth Building.

Currently, all of Unico’s Class A

Facility Manager/Operator Award

Photos courtesy of Justin Brady

continued from page 5

Photos courtesy of Unico Properties

Winner: Unico Properties,Portland PropertyManagement Team

Team: Brian Pearce,Ty Barker,Krystal Newstrom,Emily Fillis,Kate Boyle,Amy Delbrouck,Brenda Maxwell

Company: Unico Properties

Property ManagerAward


Winner: Lewis & ClarkFacilities ServicesTeam

Team: Richard Bettega,Larry Atchison,Sharon Hayes,Michael Iannantuano,Amy Dvorak, JaniceCarter, Mike Gipson,Gabe Bishop

Owner: Lewis & ClarkCollege Facilities Services

continued from page 10buildings in Portland are eitherLEED-EB certified or are awaitingcertification and all are trackingenergy and water consumption onENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Managertool. Their continued efforts insustainability earned Brian Pearce andthe Portland Property ManagementTeam the Property Manager Awardfrom NEEA’s BetterBricks.

“Through Unico’s varioussustainable achievements, we havedemonstrated our commitment toenvironmental stewardship while alsolowering our energy costs,” Mead said.“It’s a true honor to be recognized forour commitment.”

Owner/Developer AwardGreg Herrenbruck, director of design

and construction for New SeasonsMarket, and Bill Wyatt, executivedirector for the Port of Portland,received the Owner/DeveloperBetterBricks Award for their respectiveefforts in building and operating highperformance buildings.

Herrenbruck was instrumental inpositioning New Seasons Market as amodel for building solid community andvendor partnerships with an emphasison energy-efficient, environmentally-

friendly operations. Overseeing theconstruction of the company’s twonewest stores, Herrenbruckimplemented several energy-efficientfeatures such as the use of VOC-freepaints, daylight harvesting, bioswales,concrete with fly ash, carpet made fromrecycled materials, LED lighting andchemical-free water treatment systems.He also led an energy audit of the nineexisting buildings in the company,focusing on electricity, gas and waterusage. Additionally, Herrenbruck madeenergy-efficient improvements inexisting facilities, including replacingreach-in freezers and refrigeration unitswith high efficiency units, reducingwater usage by up to 40 percent andreceiving approval for the installation ofcooling tower retrofits with non-chemical systems.

“Greg sees the bigger picture and hasa long-term vision,” said awardnominator Heather Schmidt of NewSeasons Market. “His ability to createpartnerships and his drive to continuallyfind new and better solutions has madeNew Seasons Market a neighborhoodstore invested in community and theenvironment.”

Wyatt directed the construction of thePort of Portland’s new headquarters, built

on top of a seven-story parking garage atPortland International Airport.Thebuilding was a hands-on project whereconservation and recycling measurescould be tested and learned from and thePort of Portland could improve itsapproach to environmental stewardshipand sustainability.The office space uses36 percent less energy and the parkinggarage uses 78 percent less energy thansimilarly-sized counterparts. Energy-efficient features include a passive radiantthermal system, an ecoroof, daylightingcontrols, occupancy sensors, windowglazing and exterior shades to keep thebuilding cool, low-flow toilet valves and aLiving Machine wastewater treatmentplant. Wyatt was instrumental in thePort’s adoption of a comprehensiveenvironmental policy that was supportedby water quality, air quality, naturalresources, waste minimization and energymanagement programs.

“Perhaps the most important aspectof Bill’s leadership is that he expectsthe same from himself as he does fromothers,” said award nominator KarlSchulz of inici group, Inc. “Bill alsobrought a commitment toincorporating both tried-and-truegreen building techniques with morestate-of-the-art features.” OF

Owner/DeveloperAward

Winner: Bill Wyatt, ExecutiveDirector of Port of Portland

Photos courtesy of Lewis & Clark College

Photos courtesy ofthe Port of Portland


Finalist: Rose Quarter Operations Team

Team: AEG Facilities

Owner: Rose Quarter

Winner: Greg Herrenbruck,Director of Designand Construction forNew Seasons Market

Photos courtesy of New Seasons Market


As a building owner or property

manager, two primary

business goals are to

maximize net operating income and

provide tenants with a comfortable,

well-functioning building. In recent

years, the U.S. Green Building

Council’s LEED for Existing

Buildings Operations and

Maintenance (LEED EBOM) rating

system has been used successfully on

hundreds of buildings to help meet

these business goals.

LEED EBOM provides building

owners, property managers and

operators with guidance on how to

incorporate green building operational

practices, offers standardized methods

to rate building performance and acts

as a third party evaluation platform to

recognize achievements. The rewards

for completing this process include

reduced operating expenses, and a

green differentiators to maintain and

attract existing and prospective

tenants.

The rating system is fairly simple in

its layout. Any building seeking

certification must meet both basic

prerequisite requirements and accrue

points from a variety of optional credit

strategies. Basic requirements include:

verifying minimum water and

ventilation system performance

thresholds, conducting a baseline

energy analysis of the buildings

systems to identify cost-savings

opportunities and establishing

building operational guidelines to

encourage sustainable purchasing,

waste management and cleaning

practices. Additional credit strategies

could focus on: exterior site features

and maintenance practices, water and

energy using systems performance,

material purchased for building

operations and tenants, waste and

recycling performance or indoor

environmental quality improvements.

The cafeteria style rating system

allows project teams to customize their

certification program based on

building ownership requirements,

budget and building infrastructure

attributes.

Evaluation criteria are different for

every project, usually balancing

operational cost savings, marketing

impact and tenant satisfaction. In the

commercial real estate market, most

teams focus on LEED strategies with a

good simple payback that yields a

quantifiable return on investment. For

instance, it may sound like common

sense to optimize when air

conditioning and lighting turn on and

off each day in different areas of the

building, but these quick payback

opportunities and years of operational

cost savings often remain untapped.

Many building improvements yield

simple project cost paybacks of less

than two years and thousands of

dollars of annual savings. On one

LEED project, scheduling changes like

these required approximately $13,000

of controls contractor programming

assistance but yielded an estimated

$104,000 of annual operating savings.

Some strategies create financial

payback while simultaneously

improving tenant conditions, such as

addressing issues with HVAC system

economizer cycles. When working

properly, these cycles should optimize

outside air use for climate control and

minimize use of the system’s

mechanical compressors. But these

economizers often operate incorrectly,

using excessive energy and creating

poor indoor air quality. Correcting this

helps your bottom line and provides a

positive, tangible story to share in

releasing negotiations and in

conversations with potential tenants.

Even though the benefits are clear,

you’ll still need to be aware of and

justify the costs of a LEED

certification program. Basic costs

incurred on all projects will include

registering the project and paying for

the independent third party review of

your certification submission. Other

costs could include outside consulting

assistance, investments in equipment

infrastructure and small changes to

procurement practices. Many of your

service subcontractors (window

washing, landscaping, pest

management, cleaning, etc.) are willing

to move to greener operational

practices for little or no cost premium

to keep your business.

Buildings with more than 20,000

square feet typically find a good balance

of costs-to-savings potential, and an

assessment process will solidify what

strategies make the most sense. Smaller

buildings can still find savings and

improved occupant experiences with

the same strategies larger buildings use,

but certification costs may not make

sense for them. On many projects a

$50,000-$100,000 working budget

range is a good placeholder to start

planning your project before you assess

for energy saving opportunities in your

building systems.

Overall project costs range from as

little as 10 cents to $1 per square foot.

Though most projects begin with a

focus on cost savings, many building

owners discover equal value in quick

payback measures and in operating

and maintaining their facilities to a

higher level of performance — a great

benefit for their tenants, marketing,

occupancy rates, the environment and

yes, their bottom line.

Eric Baxter is the existing buildings group

director at Brightworks Sustainability

Advisors. He can be reached at

[email protected]. OF

Figure LEED EBOM into your BudgetBy Eric Baxter

LEED


Minimize Impact of Disaster by Planning AheadBy Katie Miller

Disaster can strike at any time.

In seconds, everything can

change. Everything can be

stopped, leaving your business in

jeopardy. In any disaster, quick response

draws a fine line between recovery and

irreversible damage. The first steps

taken in the aftermath of a disaster are

the most critical.

At some point, your business will

feel the effects of a disaster. By planning

ahead and partnering with a restoration

company, your business will experience

less interruption and return to normal

operations in a shorter period of time.

Why Have a Partnership?Disaster recovery begins before the

disaster. What you do beforehand will

save time and money. Since disasters

don’t always occur during the 8 a.m. to

5 p.m. work week, having recovery plans

and authorizations in place can make a

crucial difference when every minute

counts.

Without a formal partnership in

place, you could be faced with flipping

through the yellow pages at 3 a.m. after

a disaster. At that point, it is difficult to

decipher qualifications, and you could

be left selecting a contractor that is not

able to fulfill all the needs that your

facility requires. Pre-selection of a

multi-faceted emergency service

contractor allows you assurance that

your staff, clients and buildings will be

in good hands. Selecting a contractor

out of desperation could become more

disastrous than the event itself.

Additionally, having a partnership

with a restoration company allows you

priority over others during a large-scale

or regional event.

“We had more than 150 calls within

24 hours of the freeze breaking a

temperature above 32 degrees,” said

Derek Stewart, general manager of

BELFOR, a property restoration

company in Portland, describing the

freeze that hit Portland last winter.

“Once the frozen pipes within the

buildings began to thaw, the cracks that

were established by the freezing weather

began to leak and/or spray.The resulting

damage from these types of leaks can be

devastating. At this point we took care

of our customers that we had

partnerships with first, and then

handled all other calls on a first-come,

first-serve basis.”

Consider the EventYour business is more likely to be

affected by smaller events causing fire,

wind, water or smoke damage. Planning

for both small and large events is vital.

What might be considered an

annoyance to a corporation could be

ruinous to a small business. Consider

the following and the effects they might

have on your business: water, fire, wind,

smoke, mold, frozen pipes, earthquake,

flood, hurricane, tornado, winter storm,

hazardous materials, explosion or

vandalism.

Water is the single most, long-term,

destructive substance in the indoor

environment. All structural materials

and personal property, of every

description, deteriorate rapidly in the

presence of excess moisture. A few

inches of water on the floor will

immediately soak into any porous

materials. The humidity in the facility

can rise to damaging levels within hours.

disaster preparedness

continued on page 10

EMERGENCYPREPAREDNESSPLAN BASICS• Emergency telephone

numbers for fire, police andemergency personnel

• Emergency evacuationprocedures

• Comprehensive site mapfor utility shutoffs

• Easy access to appropriatetools and first aid kits

• A list of contacts for HVAC,plumbing, electrical,generators and otherspecialties particular toyour building

• List of any hazardousmaterials on site (makesure your MSDS bookis up to date)

• Partnership with a full-service restoration company

Panicto Possible


disaster recovery

The problem worsens when clean-up and drying services are delayed. Thewindow of opportunity to prevent molddevelopment is within hours of waterdamage, not days or weeks. Having arestoration company respond to adisaster in a timely manner can greatlymitigate your loss.

How to Choose a RestorationCompany

Select an accredited organizationthat can handle all of your needs.Choosing a company that can manage ajob from start to finish eases thetransition from panic to possible. Focuson three key elements: expertise,capacity and experience.

Look for a company that hasexpertise in the services that you wouldneed in the event of a disaster. Do youkeep vital records and documents inyour facility? Then a company that hasthe technology in document restorationis essential. If you have asbestos orhazardous material on the property, youwould need a company that is licensedto handle that type of substance.Electronics and machinery restorationmight be a vital piece to your road torecovery. Make sure you choose acompany that is full service and anexpert in their field.

The company must have thecapacity to handle a large loss to yourfacility. Do they have offices that arelocated in reach of your facilities? Dothey have enough equipment andpersonnel to handle all types of losses?Ask for references and years ofexperience. Whether you have acommercial highrise or historicallandmark, find a company that fits yourneeds.

Pre-PlanningMany businesses have some type of

emergency preparedness plan. Apartnership with a restoration companywill allow you to share the plan alreadyin place or collaborate on the process ofcreating a plan.

As with any plan, without practice

and proper training, it will remainuseless. Create building and site mapsthat indicate all utility shutoffs, alarms,fire extinguishers, exits, stairways,restricted areas, hazardous materialsand high-valued items. Do a walkthrough with all employees and showthem sytem locations and how to shutthem off. Teach them to read andmanage the fire alarm systems in thebuilding. The most imperative thing isto know how and when to turn offwater, gas and electricity at the mainswitches or valves. Sometimes shuttingeverything off may cost millions inproduction costs, depending on yourbusiness operations.

Also include any external resourcesthat could be needed in an emergency.In some cases, formal agreements maybe necessary to define the facility’srelationship with the fire and policedepartment, emergency medicalservices, utilities and insurance carriers.

Just as all staff should have access to

the emergency plan, so should yourrestoration company.

The response and action takenduring the first 24 to 48 hours after adisaster are critical to determiningwhether or not your business fullyrecovers. Effective pre-planning andpartnership with a single source solutionrecovery company has never been asimportant as it is today. Whatever thecause, disasters are now an establishedrisk to every business and must beprepared for in advance. What is yourplan to go from panic to possible?

Katie Miller is theOregon marketingdirector for BELFORProperty Restoration, aleader in disasterrecovery services. Formore information visitwww.belforusa.com, or

contact Katie [email protected]. OF

continued from page 9


Proper Elevator Maintenance Services andAgreements Increase Longevity of EquipmentBy David Lyons

While the concept of

installing an elevator is

quite clear, elevator

service can sometimes seem subjective

and vague. However, over the lifetime

of the elevator, you, as the owner or

building manager, will spend a fair

amount of time, effort and money

maintaining your elevator.

Understanding your options for the

different types of maintenance

agreements and services is important.

Three common types of

maintenance agreements for elevators,

escalators or moving walks exist: the

standard or basic agreement, the full or

complete maintenance agreement and

the premium or performance

agreement. Other hybrid agreements

incorporate parts of all three, but these

make up the vast majority of all elevator

maintenance agreements in place today.

Basic Maintenance AgreementThe basic maintenance agreement

provides routine maintenance service,

either periodically or on a scheduled

basis. Routine service visits include

examination and lubrication of

elevator equipment. This agreement

does not include part repair or

replacement or unscheduled visits,

commonly called “call-backs” or “call-

outs.” This type of agreement has

lower periodic payments, but surprise

payments for parts or call-outs can add

up quickly depending on elevator use,

age, type, brand, etc.

Complete MaintenanceAgreement

The complete maintenance

agreement provides all the services of

the basic agreement, but it has two

major additions: part repair or

replacement and call-back service and

requests for maintenance to restore the

equipment to working order. Parts that



elevatorscontinued from page 11

are worn due to normal wear and tear

are repaired or replaced at no

additional cost. Each agreement will

detail which parts under certain

circumstances will be repaired or

replaced. The call-backs included in

the agreement may be limited to

normal business hours or may be

extended to overtime for a premium.

Additionally, safety tests may be

included as required by code.

The complete maintenance

agreement has higher periodic

payments than the basic agreement,

but there are fewer surprise costs

throughout the year. As with each of

the agreement types, rely upon your

service provider to outline the

frequency of the maintenance visits to

the property. Service technology today,

such as remote monitoring, allows for

much greater flexibility in how often a

technician is needed on site.

Performance MaintenanceAgreement

The performance maintenance

agreement has all the services provided in

the basic agreement and the complete

maintenance agreement. However,

certain performance criteria are also

expected of the elevator service company

and the elevator itself.These may include,

but are not limited to,guaranteed elevator

availability, floor-to-floor times, door-

open and door-close times, spare part

availability, call-out response time,

penalties for inoperable elevators and

many more. In many instances,

consultants or government agencies are

involved in writing and enforcing these

detailed contracts, but they are also

available directly from elevator

companies. Performance agreements

have the highest periodic payments, but

the surprise costs are typically low or

non-existent, and reliability is almost 100

percent guaranteed.

Various other a la carte services can

be added or negotiated into each of

these agreements. To name a few: state

testing requirements, elevator

emergency phone monitoring service,

standby service, travel time, extras

billing rates and any number of

services to meet specific needs.

Like all mechanical equipment,

elevators need maintenance to perform

at their optimum level and to preserve

their vital function, moving people and

freight. Elevator maintenance is a

necessary service that keeps them

reliable and available, and protects the

value of your investment.

David Lyons is account manager at

KONE Portland. The information

provided is a generalization and

maintenance contracts may differ depending

on the maintenance provider, equipment,

location, etc. For more information, contact

KONE at 503.209.9419. OF


Options in security have

increased in the last 20 years,leading to better pricing,

motivation to improve technology andthe ability to customize safety/securityequipment to fit the needs of a reasonablebudget.The benefits don’t stop there. If aconsumer is aware of their options andinvolved in the planning process, there ispotential for long-term savings.

Many building owners are notinvolved in the decision-makingprocess when it comes to the type ofequipment selected for fire and lifesafety or intrusion alarms. Nor do theyask the right questions about long-termcosts. Many decision are based on thecompany installing the equipment orwho the contractor’s partnering installeris at the time. Historically, neither partyis usually equipped to ask the rightquestions now to save the buildingowner money during the constructionphase and each month thereafter.

Many building owners and propertymanagers learn the hard way with thehigh cost of monthly monitoring, costlyservice work and limitations of who canservice the equipment. All this can beavoided with proper planning, askingthe right questions and due diligence.

Is the system non-proprietary? Meaning, no one company, or a

limited number of companies, hasexclusive rights to service, program ormonitor the equipment. You are notcompromising your safety or securitystandards by choosing non-proprietaryequipment. In fact, most security expertswould argue there is the opportunity fora higher standard when selecting non-proprietary equipment such as SilentKnight, Fire-Lite or Honeywell brandfor fire panels. The more companiesavailable to service the equipment, thebetter your odds are at keeping thesystem properly maintained. And in theevent of an emergency, you want optionsfor service and parts.This competition ishealthy at keeping monitoring andservice work at lower monthly costs,

saving you money each month — notjust during installation.

Besides the obvious costs savings withnon-proprietary equipment during theinstallation process, you can select from along list of future service technicians. Askyourself if you will have the ability tomake changes to your system, or will yoube forced to pay the price each time byusing the installing company yourcontractor selected for you? The minimalamount of time you spend now answeringthese questions, could save you a lot oftime and money for years to come.

What solution is there to usetoday’s technology to save youmoney long-term?

Installing a quality system at a fairprice versus cheap equipment at a low costis not a good solution and will likely costmore money in the long-term.Understanding how your fire system andintrusion alarm systems work will helpyou know what questions to ask now inorder to save you money and time later.No matter what state the economy is in,building owners should not pay moremoney than necessary to get the sameservices,or in some cases,a lower standardof service because they did not know whatquestions to ask. Don’t diminish the needto be deliberate in selecting a security firmwho has your tenants safety and securityneeds and long-term financial goals inmind.A pick-a-name-out-of-the-phone-book approach or relying on yourcontractor’s relationship with their currentelectrical contractor selection is asdangerous as ever. Do they have yourlong-term goals in mind?

No one is expecting the buildingowner or contractor to be the expert infire and life safety or intrusion alarms.Don’t let your long-term relationshipwith your electrical contractor or the firstsecurity company that comes knockingsway you. Spending a little time now canhave long-term benefits later.

It is not all about the bottom line.New technology, which provides greatmonthly costs savings, provides a more

efficient safety/security solution as well.Getting the correct equipment installedwill provide better protection, a moreefficient and quicker detection systemand the long-term financial savings —the reward that keeps on giving.

Shop aroundQuality companies who want to

provide monthly alarm monitoring at areduced rate without compromisingstandards do exist.Most people don’t takeinto consideration who will monitor theiralarm system and how much it will costthem after the installation is complete.More than 95 percent of the installingcompanies in Oregon use a third-partymonitoring center to monitor theiralarms. Moreover, most of those may beout-of-state.

The same questions and due diligenceshould take place when doing an alarmsystems upgrade. You will have morecompanies to choose from whenchoosing non-proprietary equipment.When shopping around,think of upfrontcosts, monthly costs and cost of servicework. Will you own the system after it isinstalled or be making payments on theequipment for the next three to five yearswithout ever owning the equipment? Aretheir additional costs to make programchanges and to receive reports?

Spending a little time now can havelong-lasting benefits. Ask the rightquestions. Install the right non-proprietary system with the necessarytechnology to save you time and moneylater. Lastly, by correctly setting up youralarm response process, you can avoidfalse alarm fines or late night wake upcalls leading to costly services calls.

Derek J. Bliss, CPP, isboard certified insecurity managementand is the director ofclient services and thesecurity consultant atFirst Response, Inc.Contact him at

866.686.1886 or [email protected]. OF

Knowledge can Lead to Long-Term SavingsBy Derek J. Bliss

security


The first Old Spaghetti Factory

opened its doors in 1969 in a

turn-of-the-century building

located in one of Portland’s “less

polished,” downtown neighborhoods.

Guss Dussin, founder of The Old

Spaghetti Factory and OSF

International, which became The

Dussin Group in 2008, had renovated

the building, turning it into a unique

restaurant, furnished with antiques and

other distinctive interior improvements.

Beginning with the Portland

facility, Dussin developed a restaurant

that he hoped would revitalize urban

core districts that had lost population

to outlaying suburbs and began

implementing this practice in his other

restaurant properties, renovating

buildings that had been deemed

unworkable. By bringing older

buildings back to life, Dussin was able

to offer a unique, distinctive and

historic dining experience in districts

where rents and infrastructure fees

were low, ample parking was available,

fewer materials needed to be used and

less energy was consumed.

“Guss found landlords and building

owners eager to bring their old

buildings back to life,” said Maury

Wickman, corporate facilities manager

for The Dussin Group. “While in

some areas, purchasing the distressed

properties outright made financial

sense because of development credits

available from city and state agencies.”

The Old Spaghetti Factory, with

more than 10 million customers served

annually, is a success because of smart

thinking, smarter operating instincts

and a devotion to customer value, all

ideas that were founded by Dussin,

according to the restaurant’s Website.

Dussin began opening his

restaurants in warehouses, factories,

canneries, school houses, packing

houses and a trolley car roundhouse —

any rundown property that had

potential and fit The Old Spaghetti

Factory criteria. The presence and

popularity of the restaurants led to

community improvements as other

stores and businesses moved into the

community. Traffic increased in the

area, and rent stayed low.

Now, The Old Spaghetti Factory

has 40 locations in the United States,

with many of the restaurants in

historic buildings.

Since finding structures with close

to 10,000 square feet and meeting the

other needs of the restaurant can be

challenging, the Dussin Group now

considers “second generation”

buildings for the diner, said Wickman.

For example, the Phoenix, Ariz.,

restaurant is in a historical personal

residence built in the early 1900s

known as the Roland Baker House.

While the Chandler, Ariz., restaurant,

built in a former restaurant in the

Chandler Mall, is considered a “second

generation” reuse of property.

With more than 40 locations

nationwide and corporate head-

quarters located in Portland,

management of facility operations can

be difficult, especially East Coast and

Mid-West restaurants, said Wickman.

To minimize the challenges of

distance, logistics and communication,

Wickman relies on email, photos and

written reports between him, district

managers and general managers for

field operations.

“We encourage our managers to

take ownership in our facilities,” said

Ric Holderbaum, the director of real



The Hillsboro Old Spaghetti FactoryPhotos courtesy of The Dussin Group

estate for The Old Spaghetti Factory.

“And when confronted with difficult

decisions, we have our managers ask

themselves the question, ‘What would

Chris Dussin (president of the Dussin

Group) do?’Then we have them make

their decision based on what’s best for

our customers and long-term goals for

the facilities.”

Managers are responsible for

roofing, HVAC, flooring, bathrooms,

kitchen equipment and building

exteriors and interiors and in some

places, landscaping. The vice president

of operations and the district

managers tour restaurants constantly

to ensure the company’s standards of

facility operations are being met and

exceeded, Wickman said. General

managers are well-educated on the

parameters of facilities operations in

their restaurants to keep the building

operations running smoothly.

Preventative maintenance is a key

component in managing the national

chain, Holderbaum said.

“After 40-plus years in many of our

facilities, we understand the

importance of preventative mainte-

nance programs and have benefited

from investing in good quality

equipment in the beginning and then

hiring the best service companies for

maintenance,” said Holderbaum.

Keeping the HVAC and

refrigeration equipment running

smoothly is essential to the health and

safety of patrons. The Dussin Group

works closely with its vendors to

ensure the companies they contract

with are committed to keeping the

restaurants in premium condition,

Wickman said. Managers and their

district managers review

recommendations made by

preventative maintenance technicians

and make decisions and repairs

accordingly. District managers and

general managers also identify

potential problem equipment or

components in the buildings and have

them repaired as necessary.

“Our goal is to be proactive rather

than reactive,” Wickman said.

“Running equipment to failure is

never our intention and has

consequences that affect restaurant

operations.”

Despite their preventative efforts,

equipment still fails occasionally, and

often at the most critical times,

Wickman said. Working closely with

equipment parts warehouses that

stock critical parts for equipment

minimizes downtime at the

restaurants and helps to avoid costly

delays, he said.

In maintaining the commercially

sized HVAC systems, commercial

boilers and/or 199,000 BTU water

heaters, Booster Heaters for dish

washing machines and commercial

refrigeration equipment, cooling towers

and chilling systems, outside contractors

are hired, Wickman said. The Dussin

Group negotiates national contracts

where it makes the most sense, such as

in alarm companies, chemical suppliers,

trash haulers, recycling and grease

pumping. By also partnering with local

contractors and vendors, The Old

Spaghetti Factory develops community

ties that benefit the local companies and

the facilities operations at the restaurant.

continued from page 15The Old

Spaghetti FactoryEstablished 1969

Oregon Locations

Portland0715 S.W. Bancroft Street

Opened in 1983(Moved from f irst location

in downtown Portland, which openedin 1969)

19,000 SF(30,000 Sf including The Dussin Group

corporate off ices on the third floor)

Managed by:Maury Wickman Facilities

Clackamas12725 S.E. 93rd Avenue

Opened in 199511,500 SF


Hillsboro18925 N. W. Tanasbourne Drive

Opened in 199711,500 SF



The Clackamas Trolley


“Sometimes a smaller, local

company is the best fit for our style of

business,” Wickman said. “People

become involved and have more pride

in our buildings when they can

become part of our extended

restaurant family.”

In addition to the work performed

by vendors, the general managers run

semi-annual checks on the

equipment, and audits are preformed

regularly. “A managed system of

repairs along with recommendations

for replacement of tired and worn out

equipment keeps our critical list of

equipment operating with little down

time,” Wickman said.

Cutting costs on equipment

maintenance is not an option in the

restaurant business, even during a

down economy when budgets are

tight, Wickman said. “With the

responsibility of food safety as well as

the cost of replacement equipment, it

is important to maintain equipment

no matter what the current economy

brings us,” he said. “It doesn’t save us

money to skip maintenance on

buildings and equipment.”

Instead, the company looks for cost

savings by purchasing as much energy

saving equipment as possible,

minimizing energy use and lowering

high utility costs. Antique and hand-

crafted light fixtures are used

throughout the restaurants, with

newer technology in lighting for

energy savings used in the kitchens

and service areas. LED and T-8

fluorescent lights are used in these

working areas with some on-motion

devices, limiting energy use. The

company also recycles where recycling

services are available.

“With an eye on energy costs and

consumption when we expand our

family of restaurants, we look for

energy savings in choosing the right

buildings, the right rooftop material,

up-to-date HVAC equipment and

kitchen equipment,” Wickman said.

“New and improved technology is

being developed that we continue to

explore and incorporate into our

operations. We look forward to the

next 42 years of doing business.” OF

By The Numbers:

Jan. 10, 1969Opening day in Portland

$171.80Total gross sales on opening night

$400,000Company sales after the f irst year

10 millionCustomers served annually

$1 millionMoney invested per restaurant inantiques, interior improvement

40Total number of The

Old Spaghetti Factories

3Number of The Old Spaghetti

Factories in Oregon

10,000Average square footage of The

Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant

The Portland Old Spaghetti Factory from the river


T enants are asking about it.

Investors are interested in it.Municipalities are requiring it.

Many new landscape design ideas arebeing incorporated into new propertydevelopments. But what can you dowith an existing landscape to make itmore sustainable without completelyredoing it?

Install water-saving irrigationtechnology

Despite our reputation for being the“rainy state,” irrigation is critical tokeeping most landscapes alive andhealthy. The key is to make sure yourirrigation system is applying your waterefficiently and appropriately dependingon the landscape’s water needs.

One of the most effective tools toimprove irrigation efficiency is aweather-based controller. Thesecontrollers adjust daily based onweather data. Some have mini“weather stations” that are connectedto the controller on site while othersreceive the weather data from a nearbyweather station via a pager signal. Asweather can fluctuate significantly on adaily basis, these automaticadjustments have shown to save 20 to40 percent over standard manuallyprogrammed controllers. Most sitesshould achieve a less-than-two-yearpayback in the cost of conversion to aweather-based controller.

A weather-based controller worksbest if the irrigation system it controls isefficient and uniform. Another goodapproach to save water is to do anirrigation audit to evaluate your system.The Irrigation Association providesirrigation auditing training andcertification, and those who are properlytrained can make recommendations onhow to modify a system to be moreefficient. Replacing, moving or addingsprinkler heads can vastly improve thewater distribution uniformity, reducing

run-off and waste.Drip irrigation technology is

also capable of reducing water usethrough placing the water at theroots of shrubs, avoiding run-off,evaporation and poor distributiondue to heads being blocked bygrowing plants. Whereassprinkler heads are best for mostlawn areas, drip irrigation is oftenmuch more efficient for shrubsand ground cover.

Convert less visible lawnto ecological lawn

Have you ever noticed thatthe grass in your lawn near where apatch of clover is growing is greenerand more drought tolerant than therest of the lawn?

This is because clover is legume and

“fixes nitrogen” (pulls it out of the air),

releasing it back into the soil like a

fertilizer. A patch of clover stands out

“like a weed,” but when uniform

throughout a lawn, it can be attractive.

Ecological lawn mixtures combine

dwarf grasses with clovers and other

low-growing herbaceous plants. These

mixtures are designed to produce a

green cover with reduced mowing,

fertilization and irrigation.

Although not necessarily

appropriate for all locations, these

mixtures can enhance a site’s

sustainability and reduce long-term

maintenance costs. Ecological lawns

are probably most appropriate for

perimeters and roadways but not

necessarily a good choice for high

profile areas such as building entries.

Install a Rain GardenTraditional buildings capture rain

from the roof, directing it immediatelyinto the storm drain system andeventually to local streams. Asdevelopment becomes more and moredense, streams have been seriously

impacted by this increased flow, as well

as by the addition of minerals and

other pollutants. This has had a

detrimental effect on the environment

and wildlife. To mitigate this problem,

rain gardens are being incorporated

into development.

A rain garden can be added to an

existing landscape by disconnecting a

building’s downspouts from the storm

drain system and directing the

rainwater into a vegetative swale. The

swale is designed to accommodate

water from a typical rain event and

allow it to infiltrate back into the soil,

keeping it out of the storm water

system. An overflow is installed to

capture excessive rain and keep the

swale from overflowing.

A rain garden can be a functional

landscape amenity, improving the

appearance of a property, making it

unique and acting as a visible sign of

sustainability.

Pacific Landscape Management’s

sustainable landscape solutions program has

resulted in reducing the amount of

chemicals they use, integrating organics into

their fertilizers, promoting water saving

technologies and converting equipment to

newer lower emission models. Contact

them at 503.648.3900. OF

Existing Landscapes can beMore Sustainable

landscaping


The current office market in

Oregon can best be described

as plain yogurt — you can live

on it, but it’s a bit unexciting.Vacancy

is high, and rents are low. However,

they have stabilized during 2010, and

the bottom has apparently come and

gone. Unfortunately, the outlook for

the near future doesn’t appear to add

much flavor or variety. This year

should bring slow but steady growth

for the office market, but there is no

reason to expect sharp upticks.

Significant improvement and an

exponentially growing market should

occur in 2012 and 2013.

During 2010, many tenants took

advantage of the struggling market

by negotiating favorable leases or

extending leases early in exchange for

early space or rate reductions or both.

Landlords have reacted in a wide

range of ways to the market and to

tenants looking for relief or to take

advantage of market opportunities.

Longer term holders, and those not

convinced of a quick recovery, were

priced and positioned earlier in the

year to attract new and retain existing

tenants. Others that were more

willing to gamble on a quicker

recovery have not fared as well, and

some are finding themselves offering

terms less than they turned down

early last year. Others in extreme

circumstances have reacted

differently. Those with loans coming

due have had to find ways to preserve

the value of the property, maintain

debt service and still be able to

compete in the market.

Despite the aggressiveness of

many landlords and some random

case-by-case situations for below-

market transactions, landlords seem

to be firming up. The terms offered

in the market are extremely

attractive with low base rents, free

rent and other concessions.

However, landlords are not willing to

continue below what seem to be the

new market standards.

One thing seems consistent on

both the part of landlords and

tenants — reduced outlay of capital

for tenant improvements. With

more spaces to choose from, tenants

are looking to find space closer to the

“as is” condition they require so they

can negotiate the best possible deal.

Landlords are also more interested

in preserving capital and the ability

to offer economic terms required to

land new tenants.

Tenant activity in 2010 varied

slightly from 2009, in that 2009 had

more tenants downsizing, closing

offices and seeking lower-class office

space at lesser rates. In 2010, many

tenants still shopped their renewals.

However, a number of companies

also took advantage of lowered rates

in Class A space that were rapidly

approaching the rates of the B

buildings they currently occupied.

That flight to quality is an indication

that the bottom of the market has

arrived and a shift should follow.

Some sour points in the market

are that Kruse Way has a higher

vacancy than the Sunset Corridor for

the first time since these two markets

have been tracked; rates are lower

today than they were in the mid-

1990s; and transactions are

extremely difficult for both landlords

and tenants to make in today’s

economic environment.

On the sweeter side, Portland is a

tertiary market. While many larger

markets suffered far before Portland

did, owners have not felt the

complete impact. Several of those

same markets are experiencing

significant growth now, and Portland

is not too far behind. Portland’s CBD

has an extremely low vacancy rate,

and rental rates are still fairly strong

due to a lack of supply. Construction

projects such as the new Intel

facilities, Kaiser Permanente’s

hospital in Hillsboro, the federal

building rehab and Park Avenue

West office tower will add a

significant number of jobs in the

Portland metro area, which should

help give the local economy a shot in

the arm.

Tenants have begun to fill the

shadow space in their offices. Few

subleases are left on the market, and

most of the space to be given back

has already come back. So 2011 will

show slow growth and improvement

in both the general economy and the

office market. Landlords should

focus on short-term leases with low

capital outlay, and tenants should

look to secure long-term leases with

options, as this may be the last time

to capitalize on a suffering market.

As 2011 closes and momentum

builds, there should be a significant

increase in transaction volume for

2012 and 2013, going from plain

yogurt to a vanilla yogurt and to a

fruit parfait.

Vice President John

Medak specializes in

Portland-area off ice

leasing and sales at

NAI Norris, Beggs &

Simpson, a real estate

brokerage and

asset/property

management company. Contact him at

503.223.7181 or

[email protected]. OF

2011 Portland Office Market ForecastSlow Growth, Improvement in the Economy and the Office MarketBy John Medak


Hot Water Supply Boilers Wise Choicefor High-Volume Hot Water RequirementsBy Curt Lundine

N obody enjoys a cold shower or

a cold building during the

winter. Behind-the-scenes hot

water supply boilers ensure no one has

to feel the chill. Supply boilers produce

large amounts of hot water for hotels,

restaurants, apartment buildings,

laundromats, churches and car washes.

Wherever a reliable source of hot water

is required for housekeeping and

building comfort, hot water supply

boilers provide water to temperatures

not exceeding 250 degrees Fahrenheit at

pressures not exceeding 160 PSIG —

sufficient temperature and pressure for

most industrial applications.

Modern designs of these kinds of

boilers employ condensing technology

with up to 96 percent efficiency. With

the cost of fuel increasing at an alarming

rate, these boilers are an attractive and

wise choice for high-volume hot water

requirements.

The use of modulating burner design

on modern hot water supply boilers

allows the system load and boiler

capacity to be closely matched. Boiler

modulation helps eliminate short

cycling, improving the service life of

boiler components and reducing

maintenance costs. Newer burner

designs usually meet the air quality

requirements for allowable NOx

emissions of most air quality

management districts.

Early hot water supply boilers

utilized natural circulation to circulate

water between the boiler and a storage

vessel. Natural circulation limited the

system’s ability to recover quickly when

large amounts of hot water were needed

in hotels, restaurants, etc. Newer design

improvements include fractional

horsepower, low-head, large-volume

circulation pumps that solve this

problem by increasing heat-transfer

from the combustion chamber, through

the internal heat exchanger to the water.

The boiler owner must determine

capacity requirements of each hot water

system in their building.This capacity is

expressed on the boiler burner

nameplate in BTUs per hour. A

common formula that can be used to

calculate system capacity based on

temperature and flow-rate is:

BTU/HR = outlet water temperature

- inlet water temperature of boiler

x flow rate in gallons/hour (GPM)

of the circulating pump x 501

No one wants to experience

mechanical problems with their

building service systems, especially not

during the cold seasons. It is good

economic policy to practice aggressive

preventative maintenance of your

boilers, in accordance with the

manufacturers recommendations. Some

of the common maintenance problems

of a hot water boiler systems are erosion,

corrosion, vibration and scale:

• Erosion of the heating element of

a coil type water heater is directly

related to the velocity of the water

through the coil. Proper sizing of

circulating pumps and piping will

minimize this concern.

• Corrosion is a result of dissolved

gases, such as oxygen, in the boiler

feed water. Where a public water

supply is used for make-up water, a

water treatment program should

be installed for removal of free

oxygen and other corrosive

elements.

• Vibration may be caused by loose

or misaligned rotating parts, or by

water hammer in the heating

system. Mechanical stresses caused

by vibration can cause early failure

of structures under pressure.

• Scale is another result of poor feed

water quality. Domestic water

quality varies widely and should be

a core consideration for prevention

of boiler failure.

Most Oregonians understand how

fortunate they are to live and work in

such a bountiful, beautiful state. What

most do not realize is how fortunate

they are that Oregon has developed and

enforces one of the most comprehensive

and proactive boiler safety programs in

the country.

Hot water supply boilers to be

installed and used in Oregon are

manufactured to stringent national

codes. Installing contractors must hold a

boiler business license issued by the

state, and they must employ highly

skilled boiler tradesmen likewise

licensed by the state. Every newly

installed or existing boiler operating in

Oregon undergoes thorough testing and

inspection by nationally certified boiler

inspectors, who must also hold a

certificate of competency issued by the

state, showing that they understand and

enforce our jurisdictional boiler law. For

further information about provisions of

the Oregon Boiler Safety Law, contact

the Oregon Building Codes Division in

Salem, Oregon, at 503.378.4133.

Modern civilization relies on a source

of safe and economical hot water to

maintain sanitary standards and

customer satisfaction. So when an

Oregon hotel guest steps into their

shower after a long day of sightseeing

and dining on local cuisine, they can rely

on an abundant and reliable supply of

hot water.

Curt Lundine is the owner of Curt

Lundine Consulting and has been

involved in the boiler and pressure vessel

field for 45 years. He worked as a boiler

engineer for the city of Los Angeles and as

chief boiler inspector for the state of

Oregon. He can be reached at

503.551.2905. OF


boilers


The Wayne Lyman MorseUnited States Courthouse inEugene, Oregon, is theNorthwest/Arctic Region’s first buildingto earn the Building Owners andManagers Association’s BOMA 360Performance Program designation, andthe first and only building in Oregon toreceive these honors. The MorseCourthouse was one of 29 buildings toearn the most recent 360 PerformanceProgram designation. The Courthouseis owned by the General ServicesAdministration and is managed byPublic Buildings Service. The MorseCourthouse shares this recognition withfour other GSA properties across thecountry.

The BOMA 360 PerformanceProgram is a groundbreaking programdesigned to recognize commercialproperties that demonstrate bestpractices in building operations andmanagement. Since the program’sinception in spring 2009, 181 buildingshave been designated.

The BOMA 360 PerformanceProgram evaluates properties in sixmajor areas of building management:building operations and management;life safety/security/risk management;training and education; energy;environment/sustainability; and tenantrelations/community involvement. Thecomprehensive nature of the programmeans that every aspect of buildingperformance is assessed and scoresare based on how buildings meet anextensive checklist of best practices.

SoloPower, Inc., a California-based manufacturer of flexible,thin film solar cells andmodules, will locate a highvolume manufacturing facilityin Wilsonville, Oregon. The initialphase of this expansion will be theconstruction of a 75 MW manufacturingline which will create 170 new jobs.Upon completion, the facility isexpected to have a nameplate capacityof 300 MW, employ approximately 500people and have a total investment ofapproximately $340 million. The state-of-the-art production facility will greatlyenhance the company’s ability toprovide powerful, flexible, lightweightsolar modules globally. Themanufacturing facility will provide aneconomic boost to the community,creating jobs and supporting localbusiness.

“Over the past year, SoloPower hasconsidered several alternative sites.Oregon is an exceptional location forour long-term growth,” statedSoloPower CEO Tim Harris. “Oregon’sbusiness-friendly environment,excellent support programs, and highlyskilled workforce made locating ournew manufacturing facility in Oregonan easy decision.”

NAI Norris, Beggs & Simpsonhas released its fourth quarter2010 quarterly reports foroffice, industrial, and retailcommercial real estate, as wellas its economic report.

Office vacancy in Central Citydecreased to 11.78 percent, with a fewsignificant leases. Suburban officevacancy fell slightly to 23.88 percent,with 121,056 square feet absorbed.One of the larger leases of the quarterwas ACS taking 30,656 square feet atTriangle Pointe for a new call center.Vancouver office vacancy rose slightlyto 18.7 percent.

Industrial vacancy fell slightly to15.01 percent, with 108,375 squarefeet absorbed. As one recent studyshowed, the industrial sector is a brightspot in Oregon’s economy, and thePort of Vancouver has recently seenheightened activity with BHP Billiton’s60-acre lease.

Retail vacancy was stable at 6.4percent, with 81,081 square feetabsorbed. The area’s first H&Mopened in November at Pioneer Place,and H&M also leased nearly 20,000square feet at Washington Square.Ross Dress for Less and Dick’sSporting Goods also signed significantleases during the fourth quarter.

The Oregon SustainabilityCenter, the June Key DeltaCommunity Center and TheCommons in Portland are takingon the Living BuildingChallenge, a green building guidethat requires a building to produce all ofits own energy, manage all of its ownwater on site and use non-toxic, locallysource materials. The buildings, whichare all under construction, must be inoperation for one year before an auditcan be performed. If certified, theOregon Sustainability Center, at150,000 square feet, will become thelargest building to be certified under theLiving Building Challenge.

Portland MetropolitanAssociation of Building Ownersand Managers (BOMA) recentlylaunched Carbon4Squareinitiative, a challenge to propertymanagers and building owners todemonstrate their leadership insustainable building operations.Carbon4Square is the first building

BRIEFLY

Wayne Lyman Morse U.S. Courthouse


operations challenge in the country thatmeasures and reduces carbonconsumption through the framework ofwaste, water, watts and wheels. Thisyear-long, resource conservation effortwill catalyze building teams tobenchmark environmental performanceand implement strategies that lead togreater efficiencies and reducedoperating expenses. Participants canjoin the challenge atwww.carbon4square.com.

“Carbon4Square supports Portlandbuilding professionals as they begin orimprove their sustainability initiatives,”says Susan Steward, executive directorBOMA Portland.

The challenge offers severalcategories in which participants canwin. The “Carbon Leaders” categorywill be awarded to buildings havingdemonstrated the most success andinnovation in managing watts, water,waste and wheels. The “Most Improved

Performance” category will be awardedto buildings showing the greatestpercentage gain in ENERGY STAR®ratings over the year. Most ValuableTenant will be awarded to a tenant whohas demonstrated leadership andenthusiasm for sustainability. Finally,the grand prize will be awarded by ajury and will recognize superiorachievement in managing carbonemissions across all four categories.

Carbon4Square partners andsponsors include BOMA Portland, theNorthwest Energy Efficiency Alliance’sBetterBricks initiative, Energy Trust ofOregon, BEST Business Center, City ofPortland Department of Transportation,City of Portland Bureau of Planningand Sustainability, ENERGY STAR®,Metro, City of Gresham’s GreatBusinesses and Business Smart Trips.Partners have all stepped forward tomake technical and educationalassistance available to participantsthroughout the year. OF


Oregon FacilitiesP. O. Box 970281Orem, UT 84097-0281

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