Felton Properties is a Portland-based real estate company that owns and manages nearly three million square feet across Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Utah and Minnesota. In summer 2016, Felton Properties asked its electrical distributor, Portland Lighting Company, to perform a complete lighting audit to help identify lighting technologies that could improve operations and reduce energy costs.

Lighting Audit Presents an Opportunity

Felton Properties is a Portland-based real estate company that owns and manages nearly three million square feet across Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Utah and Minnesota. In summer 2016, Felton Properties asked its electrical distributor, Portland Lighting Company, to perform a complete lighting audit to help identify lighting technologies that could improve operations and reduce energy costs. Accompanied by the Felton Properties engineers, Portland Lighting completed the audit of 400 SW 6th Avenue, located in the heart of downtown Portland.

“The comprehensive lighting audit was incredibly helpful,” said Michael Johnson, Felton Properties’ Asset Manager. “For my team, we don’t necessarily think about lighting every day—so it was eyeopening getting to go through every single floor and every single fixture to determine what we could do to help achieve our two priorities: reduce operating costs and ensure tenant comfort.”

Cost Savings, Longer Product Lift and Tenant Comfort

After the audit, Portland Lighting recommended that Felton Properties replace the older 32-watt T8 lamps in 400 SW 6th with energy-efficient 25-watt T8 lamps, and also replace the building’s CFL and incandescent lighting with LEDs.

“The return per dollar spent on each 25-watt T8 lamp is fantastic,” added Johnson. “When we looked at their proposal, we immediately knew we could significantly reduce our energy consumption and extend the product life of our lamps, without spending a lot in upfront costs. We were able to put this right into our operating expenses for the year.”

After approving Portland Lighting’s proposal, the retrofit project took place over winter 2016. Felton Properties’ goal with each project is to ensure occupants are comfortable and, given how sensitive occupants can be when changes are made, do not have concerns with the new products. Their team was incredibly happy when they didn’t receive a single complaint from tenants after the project was complete.

By the Numbers

• Felton replaced 293 32-watt T8 lamps with 25-watt T8 lamps to improve the light quality and layout in open office spaces, garage areas and stairwells in 400 SW 6th Avenue.
• Altogether, the 25-watt T8 and LED lamp replacements are generating an estimated 61,124 kWh in annual energy savings, or a $4,507 per year reduction in lighting costs.
• The annual energy savings was expected to offset approximately 29 tons of CO2 generated by fossil fuels—the equivalent of taking more than four cars off the road.

The Go-To Replacement: 25-watt T8 Lamps

After the successful retrofit at 400 SW 6th Ave, Felton Properties moved forward with replacing 32-watt T8 lamps with 25-watt T8 lamps in six total properties across Portland and Denver.