Glumac to Consult with EDAC

PORTLAND -- Called an Energy Design Advisory Consultant (EDAC), Glumac was selected as one of seven consultants to offer energy engineering support services for the New Building Efficiency program. Through this program, a new commercial building is eligible to receive incentive dollars for achieving greater energy efficiency than the Oregon energy code requires. To determine efficiency levels, building designs undergo energy analysis or modeling. Incentive dollars from the Energy Trust are based on the qualifying energy measures identified by the analysis. The EDAC performs the energy analysis and can assist building owners in making smart equipment choices.

Among its energy efficiency achievements, Glumac prepared the mechanical and electrical design concepts for the first LEED (Leadership in Energy Efficient Design) certified project in Oregon. Additionally, it received the American Institute of Architects' Building and Energy honor award for its design of the State of Oregon Public Utility Commission Headquarters.

Energy Trust of Oregon, Inc., is a nonprofit organization dedicated to changing how Oregonians use energy by promoting energy efficiency and clean renewable energy for Oregon customers of Pacific Power, Portland General Electric and NW Natural. For more information, visit the Energy Trust website, www.energytrust.org, or call 1-866-ENTRUST (368-7878).

NECA Golfers Donate to Charity

Portland - The members of the Oregon-Columbia Chapter of the National Electrical Contractor's Association weren't the only ones to enjoy the re-opening of their building - a Portland area children's charity and one lucky college freshman also had reason to celebrate.

NECA presented its annual NECA Golf Charity Award and its annual NECA Scholarship Award at its open house celebration.

NECA's recipient for its annual charity golf event, the Christie School, was awarded all of the proceeds from the registration from this year's charity golf tournament. The Christie School, a Marylhurst-based 145-year old home for emotionally disturbed children, was nominated for the award by Jim Ferris of Red's Electric. The $4,500 donated will help to ensure continuing treatment for the eighty children and youths currently living at Oregon's oldest and largest psychiatric residential treatment center for children. On hand to accept the award was Stan Sawicki, development director of the Christie School.

Leonard Schulwitz, Jr., a freshman bioengineering student at the University Honors College of Oregon State University, was awarded the Fourth Annual NECA Scholarship Award of $2,000 per year for four years. Schulwitz was selected for the award from a pool of hundreds of 2004 graduating high school seniors who have NECA members in their families. Schulwitz's grandfather, Bill Frahler, founded Frahler Electric in 1959 and handed off the company to his two sons, Mike and Dick Frahler, in 1981. Frahler Electric has been a member of NECA for 30 years.

Ports sign Agreement

Portland -- Commissioners from the Ports of Vancouver and Portland approved an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) representing a commitment from the two ports to work together and combine their resources in seeking opportunities to attract more business to the region and addressing freight transportation issues that impact the Portland/Vancouver area.

The purpose of the IGA is to promote regional cooperation and commits the ports to:

• Appoint project managers to jointly develop goals and strategies
• Engage in joint marketing and facilities development
• Utilize a cost and revenue sharing formula
  
• Actively pursue opportunities for developing projects benefiting the Portland/Vancouver region

"This agreement represents an understanding on both sides of the Columbia that the Port of Portland and the Port of Vancouver serve the same people and the same businesses," said Port of Portland Executive Director Bill Wyatt. "It also demonstrates our desire to work together to serve those people and businesses as efficiently and cost effectively as possible."

The IGA stems from the 1996 Joint Discussion Agreement (JDA) signed by the ports which detailed and defined ways for both ports to work together in maximizing the economic impact of their investments and avoiding duplication of resources. The JDA was filed with the Federal Maritime Commission, allowing both ports to carry on such discussions under the Shipping Act of 1984. Since that time, the ports have worked closely together on a variety of issues including the Columbia River Channel Improvement Project, import automobiles facilities, and other regional transportation and legislative issues.

Land Sale Brings Jobs

Portland -- Sixty-five new jobs will soon come to the region with the Port of Portland's sale of approximately 6.5 acres of property at Terminal 4 (T-4) to Phase One Equities, Inc.

Phase One will lease the property to IFCO Systems, which plans to operate a pallet management business on the property employing 65 carpenters and laborers. IFCO Systems is a transport packaging logistics company which refurbishes, recycles, and manages the second largest pool of pallets and the largest pool of recycled pallets in North America.

Phase One Equities, Inc. will purchase the property and a 54,000-sq.- ft. building located at the T-4 uplands area at North Lombard Street for $1.8 million.

The Port's existing tenant, Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc., will move its auto processing activities to the waterfront area of T-4 by the end of December this year under a separate lease agreement signed in 2002. IFCO is scheduled to move into the property in February of 2005.

Stevens Awarded Renovation Job

Bend -- Stevens Architect has been awarded a new design project by Young Life, a Christian youth ministry headquartered in Colorado. This project is a renovation of an existing 30,000 square foot structure. The building is to be transformed into two stories of dorm and living units for staff. The second floor will also have meeting rooms and lounges. The facility will accommodate a large commercial type laundry facility as well as a mixture of housing units. This building is located at the Young Life's Washington Family Ranch in Antelope, Oregon, one of 25 camps owned and operated by Young Life.

The firm of Stevens Architect currently has five staff members. Don Stevens, Principal, has practiced in Central Oregon for over 14 years. His background in office and retail design spans several decades. Locally, he has been the architect for projects for Robberson Ford, the Deschutes Agency building, the Bend Senior Center, High Desert Beverage, addition and tenant improvements and renovations of the Bend River Mall and Bon Macy's, offices for Horizon Broadcasting, as well as the recent interior remodel of the Pine Tavern.

Efficient Lighting Used at Hotel

Salem -- Personal comfort and professional consideration are a necessity in business class hotels, and energy efficiency plays a leading role in both areas. As the headquarters hotel for the Salem Conference Center, now under construction, the Phoenix Grand Hotel has big plans to raise the bar even further through a lighting system that is energy efficient and agreeable for guests.

By changing more than 1,200 lighting fixtures to a high efficiency compact fluorescent, the hotel is expected to save more than 900,000 kilowatt hours annually. By comparison, an average single family household uses approximately 12,000 kilowatt hours each year.

The New Building Efficiency program designed three program tracks to help projects of all sizes apply for incentives. Phoenix Grand Hotel used the Standard Track, which provides prescriptive incentives for a limited selection of high efficiency equipment. Much like a shopping cart option, the energy efficiency and kilowatt hour savings have already been determined by the program. Thus, no energy modeling or analysis is required. The hotel received a $20,000 incentive from the Oregon Energy Trust for participating in the program.

The hotel and convention center are expected to finish construction in February 2005. The Phoenix Grand Hotel project team includes DJ Architecture as project architect, ENT Electric as the electrical contractor and Rushforth Construction Company as general contractor.