Port invests in energy upgrades for major facilities

WENATCHEE — Rather than waiting until state deadlines force its hand, the Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority is moving proactively to modernize two of its largest facilities while outside funding is available, viewing energy efficiency as a long-term investment rather than simply a compliance exercise.

Commissioners on Tuesday approved a series of agreements allowing work to begin on energy-efficiency upgrades at the Confluence Technology Center and Executive Flight Building, leveraging more than $467,000 in state Clean Buildings Act grants and additional utility incentives to offset much of the cost.

The projects are part of the Port's strategy to comply with Washington's Clean Buildings Act well before mandatory deadlines while replacing aging infrastructure with systems designed to reduce energy consumption, lower maintenance costs and extend the life of existing equipment.

Andy Kaplowitz and Pete Perez of MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions, the Port's energy services contractor, told commissioners the work goes beyond meeting state requirements. The projects are intended to modernize aging building systems, improve day-to-day operations and create long-term savings through better energy management.

The first phase focuses on the Confluence Technology Center, where an aging proprietary building management system will be replaced with an open-platform controls network capable of monitoring heating, cooling and lighting throughout the building. The project also includes LED lighting upgrades and a smart building analytics platform that can identify equipment problems before they become costly failures.

Port CEO Jim Kuntz said replacing the existing proprietary controls system has become increasingly important because the current setup limits the Port's flexibility and narrows its options for service providers.

Moving to an open platform allows multiple vendors to maintain the system while giving staff better control over building operations, including scheduling and energy use. During the presentation, Kaplowitz noted there are times portions of the building remain fully lit over weekends despite little or no occupancy. He also explained that predictive analytics can alert maintenance staff to developing equipment failures before they become major repairs, allowing problems to be addressed earlier and extending the life of mechanical systems.

Perez said the Executive Flight Building remains in the investment-grade audit phase, where MacDonald-Miller is evaluating lighting, mechanical systems and the building envelope. Particular attention is being paid to air infiltration around the hangar, where staff have reported significant heat loss during windy conditions. Recommendations are expected later this year, allowing construction planning to move forward well ahead of the building's compliance deadline.

Kaplowitz also outlined a broader roadmap that could eventually include additional Port-owned buildings, modernization of systems at Pangborn Memorial Airport, a unified building-controls platform across Port facilities and, over the longer term, evaluation of fleet electrification as electric infrastructure expands throughout the region.

Commissioner Richard DeRock encouraged staff to look beyond the buildings currently covered by the state's Clean Buildings Act, arguing that some improvements may make financial sense even before regulations require them.

Drawing on lessons from efficiency upgrades completed during his years leading Link Transit, DeRock said the Port should continue looking for "low-hanging fruit" — relatively inexpensive improvements that generate immediate savings.

"It very well may be that the energy savings are enough that it makes sense to go ahead and do those investments earlier," DeRock said.

He pointed specifically to lighting and building-control systems, noting that such projects can sometimes pay for themselves in less than a year, even with North Central Washington's comparatively low electricity rates. Rather than waiting for future compliance deadlines, DeRock asked staff to begin evaluating whether similar opportunities exist throughout the Port's remaining building portfolio.

Commissioners ultimately approved the grant agreements, authorized amendments to the Department of Enterprise Services contract and approved construction of the Confluence Technology Center controls and lighting upgrade project. Construction is expected to begin later this summer and be substantially complete before the end of the year.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media