In Vancouver, Washington, a former high-tech campus needed updating after decades of serving as a production facility for a well-known company. Though it was one of the largest light industrial campuses in the Portland metro area, less than half of the available space was leased.
Marc Esrig and Ron Schinik, Principals and Co-Founders of New Blueprint Partners (NBP), saw an opportunity to bring life back into the campus with thoughtful investments and upgrades. They acquired the property, renaming it the Vancouver Innovation Center (VIC), and began envisioning a vibrant 179-acre area with residential, commercial and mixed-use buildings.
To accommodate the many different tenant spaces and needs, NBP wanted to upgrade to a centrally controlled lighting system that was tenant friendly, flexible, and energy-efficient. Luminaire Level Lighting Controls (LLLC) was the perfect fit.
Rebuilding and Investing in the Future
“Our vision for the VIC is to have a 20-minute neighborhood, where people are no more than 20 minutes from places where they can shop, work, workout, and dine,” said Esrig. “Connectivity and accessibility are top priorities. We’re going to build 1,800 residential units, as well as another one million square feet of commercial space. We’re also working with the City of Vancouver to create a forest park on the northeast side of the property.”
To accomplish this vision, NBP started with the existing infrastructure, developed a master plan and began making extensive renovations to the existing buildings, all while keeping sustainability and comfort in mind. They optimized building performance by replacing chillers, upgrading boilers, implementing building management systems, installing new lighting and a tenant metering system so tenants can monitor their electrical consumption.
NPB specified that their lighting must provide flexibility and better control, while reducing energy consumption across the campus. They also sought a more centralized system with easy installation and commissioning, so when tenants moved in or out, they could easily reconfigure the space.
While learning about different lighting solutions and products during discussions with their manufacturer representatives, engineers, and distributors, they soon discovered the solution: LLLC.
This proven technology is a type of networked lighting control (NLC) system that integrates both sensors and load controllers into each individual fixture. It provides unparalleled flexibility, control, and deep energy savings—exactly what they were looking for. In addition to these benefits, financial incentives were an important factor in the equation when evaluating their options.
“We wanted to know what incentives were available because that does drive upgrades, and these are very large investments,” said Esrig.
NBP reached out to energy advisors at their local utility, Clark Public Utilities. “We provide cash incentives to help implement approved energy efficiency measures for commercial and industrial customers on new construction and retrofit projects,” said Bill Hibbs, Key Accounts Energy Solutions Manager at Clark Public Utilities. “For this project, we provided $238,230.62 in incentives with an anticipated annual savings of 1,352,485.22 kWh.”
Installing the Technology
To address the different types of spaces and needs, NBP’s installers chose a system that could accommodate a variety of sensors and fixtures.
With more than 2,000 total fixtures to retrofit, they began installation with exterior lighting. They first replaced the parking lot and safety lights, which use motion detection, daylight sensors, and timers to automatically adjust luminosity and conserve energy.
“The VIC has a wide variety of spaces that are used 24/7. We have our central common spaces, offices, conference rooms, manufacturing, and pharmaceutical spaces,” noted Esrig. “For our tenants, we wanted brighter, aesthetic lighting that they can easily control.”
In the VIC’s 700,000 square feet of indoor space, each area is programmed to accommodate the tenant’s unique business needs. The LLLC system focuses on daylighting and occupancy sensing, so when tenants enter or leave a space, the fixtures automatically adjust light levels. The sensors also detect natural light and lower the luminaires’ light output, also bringing down energy use.
Looking ahead, NBP plans to retrofit more spaces to LLLC and connect the LLLC sensors to the building management system, so the two systems can work together to reduce HVAC energy usage.
Throughout the process, Esrig noted two lessons learned for building professionals looking to upgrade their own lighting system:
- Ensure your project schedule aligns with availability of the product. NBP ran into a supply chain issue, which delayed installation for the initial retrofit.
- Get your system commissioned by a qualified party who will train and support the internal staff who will be maintaining the system.
The Result
With LLLC, NBP has installed a smart and flexible system that is meeting sustainable goals and tenant needs. NBP has leased 85% of the available amount of space since purchasing the property. No matter the type of tenant, they’ll be able to adjust and meet their needs for years to come.
“We’re really excited about the LLLC lighting on our campus,” said Esrig. “It all goes into our mindset of creating the VIC, of creating community, where tenants and employees are happy to be here. And if we can do that, then we’ve done our job.”
About New Blueprint Partners
New Blueprint Partners acquires industrial real estate by relying on its extensive experience and forward-thinking approach. Focusing on property acquisitions that meet its significant criteria, New Blueprint Partners provides investors with consistent cash-flow and reliable long-term gains. While every transaction aims to maximize benefits to investors, New Blueprint Partners recognizes that decisions require input from multiple stakeholders. Guided by sustainable practices, and a desire to innovate, New Blueprint Partners also cultivates thriving ecosystems for businesses and communities, and this principle results in more rewarding and profitable projects.
How to Get Started with LLLC
To find the LLLC system that is best for you, you’ll first need to understand the performance and business benefits that are right for your space. Contact your local utility, visit betterbricks.com/LLLC, or reach out to the Northwest Trade Ally Network for free resources to get started.