Building Owner Lowers Energy Costs by 25%

PORTLAND-The owner of the Oregon Trail Building at Southwest Fifth Avenue and Stark Street in Portland says he has reduced energy costs by 25% by making several system improvements. Renovations included common area and elevator refurbishment, heating ventilation and air conditioning system upgrades, minor upgrades related to the Americans with Disabilities Act and fire system improvements.

“The building was a patchwork of systems,” says owner William Emery. “To make it a safe and efficient building, the infrastructure needed to be reworked from the boiler to the bottom line.”

For example, Emery says the steam boiler was a cast iron sectional type, was 14 years old and in poor condition. It was replaced with a trio of high-efficiency, condensing hot water boilers, which increased the efficiency from 60% to 90%.