In Spokane, a public performing arts center held great potential for energy efficiency upgrades given its age. Watch how improving the efficiency of the facility reduced the amount of electricity and natural gas used, thus helping to offset rising energy prices.
The Spokane Public Facilities District (SPFD) in Spokane, Wash., manages the INB Performing Arts Center, Spokane Convention Center and the Spokane Arena - all with an eye towards sustainability. Key to that is making smart choices when it comes to energy.
The INB Performing Arts Center was originally built for the World’s Fair in 1974 when buildings weren’t focused on energy efficiency. Now, it’s a different story. Yearly investments in energy efficient lighting, systems and practices have since helped reduce energy use in the INB Performing Arts Center, and sustainability goals and efficiency improvements have also helped the SFPD manage energy use in its other venues. The capstone was receiving LEED certification for the 2007 expansion of the Spokane Convention Center.
“The Spokane Public Facilities District and Dave Gebhardt put their core values into practice every day as they manage their facilities for sustainability and energy efficiency. Their vision and commitment benefits not only their facilities and guests, but also our community.” - Doug Kelley, regional account manager for Avista Utilities
The Underlying Problem: As an aging building, the INB Performing Arts Center held great potential for energy efficiency upgrades. Improving the efficiency of the facility would reduce the amount of electricity and natural gas used, thus helping to offset rising energy prices. And, efficiency improvements would meet the Sustainability Goal of implementing conservation measures that would reduce energy use.
The Carbon Math: Partnering with their energy provider Avista Utilities, the SPFD received guidance, technical expertise and financial incentives for efficiency improvements to the INB Performing Arts Center and the newer Spokane Convention Center. The results of the improvements at just those two facilities have been impressive – reducing electric use by almost 2.7 million kilowatt hours and natural gas by almost 96,000 therms. That’s enough energy to power 225 homes for a year and provide natural gas service for a year to 130 homes.
Key Players:
Spokane Public Facilities District (SPFD)
Featured in video: Kevin Twohig and Dave Gebhart
The Spokane Public Facilities District's mission is to operate the finest public assembly facilities and provide the highest quality of Guest Services in a manner that ensures profitable operations and financial sustainability, returns value to the stakeholders, and maximizes economic impact to the Inland Northwest.
Featured in video: Doug Kelly
Avista Corp. is an energy company involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy as well as other energy-related businesses. Avista Utilities is our operating division that provides electric service to 360,000 customers and natural gas to 321,000 customers. Our service territory covers 30,000 square miles in eastern Washington, northern Idaho and parts of southern and eastern Oregon, with a population of 1.5 million. Avista's primary, non-utility subsidiary is Ecova, an energy and sustainability management company with more than 500 multi-site commercial and utility customers, representing more than 450,000 sites.
Featured in video: Jack Lucas
