Most business owners don’t get the opportunity to build the building of their dreams. Or to have partners willing to share in those dreams.

The Neil Kelly Company has both, in the form of a new building which recently broke ground in Portland, Oregon. The building, being developed by the RTJ Corporation will become a showcase for earth-friendly building practices, as well as the Neil Kelly Company’s new west side showroom. RTJ Corporation is a partnership between Tom Kelly (President, Neil Kelly Company), Ray Derby (President, Blazer Development) and John Godsey (President, Consulting Engineering Services). The three principals will be the building’s only tenants upon completion, which is scheduled for early 2000. The new building will serve as headquarters offices for both Blazer Homes and Consulting Engineering Services and as a sales office and west side showroom for Neil Kelly Company.

The new building has already received recognition for its many environmental attributes from both the Oregon Office of Energy (OOE) and Portland General Electric’s Earth Smart® program. Designed by the noted architectural firm Thompson Vaivoda & Associates, it features state-of-the-art energy conservation methods as well as a wide range of resource efficient building products and techniques. It has been designed and will be used by the OOE as a model for sustainable architecture and energy savings in a common building type. PGE’s Earth Smart designation is reserved for building projects that meet a set of energy efficiency, quality indoor environment, environmental responsibility, and resource efficiency criteria.

Centennial Bank, in conjunction with Shore Bank Pacific, provided the construction bridge loan for the project. Permanent financing was arranged through the OOE’s Small Scale Energy Loan Program, which is available for projects that meet stringent guidelines for energy efficiency.

Energy Efficiency

“We decided to make the building into an example of energy efficient and sustainable building techniques that others can emulate. The environmental aspect of every decision regarding materials and techniques is being weighed alongside cost and practicality,” said Tom Kelly. Kelly went on to say that “even though the front-end costs will be higher than standard construction would be, the long-term savings in energy efficiency will more than offset those costs over time.”

The 15,000 square foot building is designed to require just 50 percent of the estimated energy costs for a comparable building based on the current State of Oregon Energy Code. This will be accomplished in large measure through optimized daylighting to illuminate the interior spaces and to minimize dependence upon electric lighting. The daylighting is designed to work in conjunction with a high efficiency electric lighting system. OOE estimates the daylighting aspect of the building will save some 59,000 kWh per year in operating energy costs.

Other significant energy savings will come from a photovoltaic (solar) outdoor lighting system (saving 4,500 kWh per year), increased insulation (saving 3,800 more kWh per year), and a high-efficiency HVAC system (requiring 24,000 fewer kWh per year).

“The building is situated along the east/west axis, with the building core located at the east end, allowing for open floor plates with unobstructed north and south exposure to optimize solar gain and daylighting,” explained project architect Kurt Schultz, a principal at Thompson Vaivoda. This design, combined with a state of the art HVAC system and high R-value wall and roof insulation, gives the building the bulk of its energy savings. Other energy efficient features include occupancy sensors to avoid lighting and heating building sections which are not in use, “sweep-off” lighting controls, which automatically shut off building lights after normal business hours, and low energy kitchen appliances and office equipment.

According to an independent analysis conducted by the environmental consulting firm of Hatten/Johnson Associates, the building’s progressive configuration will save more than $4,400 per year in reduced energy costs.

Green Materials

In addition to energy savings, the building will feature, to the greatest extent possible, several other environmentally responsible attributes. “We’ve asked that our designers incorporate the principles of The Natural Step, our company’s guide to striving for environmental sustainability,” said Tom Kelly, President of the Neil Kelly Company.

The building will feature wood certified as having come from sustainably managed forests, as well as materials which are biodegradable and which boast some level of recycled or reclaimed material content. A few examples include framing lumber from certified forests; sheet rock containing recycled content gypsum and recycled backing material; thermal insulation containing recycled fiberglass; non-toxic, biodegradable sheet flooring; recycled content carpet and low-VOC adhesive; Andersen Corporation's System II windows made with Fibrex®, a wood/plastic composite containing reclaimed fibers; low VOC paints and finishes; recycled more content asphalt paving; recycled content plastic wheel stops; environmentally sensitive hydraulic fluid used in the elevator system; and native plant landscaping to reduce dependence on water and fertilizers. A number of other environmentally-friendly options are currently be considered.

The Neil Kelly Company includes a cabinet division and a home repair team, as well as offering commercial and residential design/build remodeling services. The company is the largest residential remodeler in the Pacific Northwest and consistently ranks among the largest 20 residential remodelers nationally. A member of the Natural Step, Neil Kelly Company also was recently presented a National Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics by the Council of Better Business Bureaus.

Blazer Development, which is serving as general contractor on the RTJ building, is a Portland-area developer and home building contractor building 15-20 custom and spec homes annually. Consulting Engineering Services provides engineering consultation for residential and commercial buildings and developments.

October 13, 1999