TWO Better Buildings Challenge partners in the Seattle area (U.S.) have been recognised by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for their successful energy-efficient upgrade achievements at the King County International Airport and the local Shari’s in Lynnwood, Wash.

Through the Better Buildings Challenge, King County and Shari’s Café & Pies committed to reducing energy use across their properties by at least 20% over 10 years.

To achieve this King County performed an energy retrofit to one of the oldest and busiest non-hub airport terminals in the U.S., the international terminal in the King County International Airport. To date, the airport has achieved 63% energy savings by adding advanced lighting controls and upgrading the mechanical and lighting systems located throughout the interior of the terminal, as well as installing LED lighting in the outdoor terminal parking lot.

Shari’s Café & Pies is the first full-service restaurant to join the Better Buildings Challenge, committing to a 20% reduction in energy intensity by 2025 across nearly 400,000 square feet of restaurant space. By upgrading its interior and exterior lights with LED lighting and by replacing five heated dipper wells with new manual wells, Shari’s Better Buildings Showcase Project has realised a 28% reduction in energy use and a 43% reduction in water use.

Also, further water, sewer and gas savings are captured through a smart irrigation system that uses precipitation data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to avoid watering when rain is in the forecast.

Source: ProudGreenBuilding.com