Tri-City Area and Real Estate Blog

With boxes stacked in individual offices and conference rooms, congested hallways,  and desks shoved into any spare space; having room to breathe is a welcome theme for the new Kennewick School District administration offices as they look forward to their upcoming move.  The district purchased the old Buttreys/Fiesta Foods grocery store on West Fourth and currently are having it remodeled to suit their needs.  It is hoped that the move will take place at the end of the year.

Originally, the new building contained 4,500 square feet but the new contractor will be adding an approximate 2,500 square foot partial 2nd story, which will bring the usable space to almost 7,000 square feet.  Currently, the district offices comprise the old Benton PUD building at 6th and Benton Streets, and the old admin building to the north of Kennewick High School, which was built in the 60′s.  This new facility will allow all departments to come together under one roof and will include a large conference room, a classroom for adult classes, and a board room for school board meetings in addition to it’s many office spaces.

Like a car, your home needs to be running efficiently to save you  money. Is your home running as efficiently as it can? Does it need a tune-up? Take a moment and review some easy steps you can make to increase the energy efficiency of your home.

Step 1 – Heating and Air Conditioning

Heating and cooling can account for up to 70% of your electric bill. Upgrading your heating and cooling system and minimizing air infiltration can have a dramatic effect on lowering the money you spend on heating and cooling. Get your system checked annually or as recommended by the manufacturer to ensure it’s running as efficiently as possible. Rebates are now available on qualified systems.

Step 2 – Winterization

Does your home have enough insulation? Ceilings, floors, walls and ductwork must be well insulated to reduce heat loss. A house that leaks air can be made tighter with the result of being more comfortable. Benton PUD in Kennewick can help with rebates for additional insulation of for new windows.

Step 3 – Appliances

Appliances can account for up to 20% of your bill. Like a car’s fuel is gasoline, your home’s fuel is electricity. You will get higher “electricity mileage” if the appliances in your home are operating efficiently. When you are shopping for a new appliance, look for the ENERGY STAR label and available energy usage information. With some extra care when shopping for an appliance, you can save energy and money for years to come. And the best part is you get a rebate from Benton PUD in Kennewick.

Step 4 – Lighting

Increasing your lighting efficiency is a quick way to decrease your energy bills. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs that will save energy and money over their lifetime. They are four times more efficient, last 6 to 10 times longer and provide the same lighting. They now come in all sizes for all uses.

Source: Benton PUD “Between the Lines” pamphlet

An energy conference in February could bring 800 people to the Tri-Cities and generate about $315,000 in visitor spending, officials with the Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau said Tuesday.

Climate Solutions, facilitator of the annual Harvesting Clean Energy Conference, decided to hold the event at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick because of the Tri-Cities’ concentration of clean energy companies, said Rhys Roth, Climate Solutions’ director of strategic innovation.

The conference should run February 7-9. The Tri-Cities Visitor & Convention Bureau learned about a month ago the conference will be in the Tri-Cities, but released the information Tuesday after contracts were finalized.

A local steering group with members from the Tri-Cities Visitor & Convention Bureau, Benton PUD, Energy Northwest, Franklin PUD, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and other organizations worked for about a year with Climate Solutions to bring the conference to the Tri-Cities.

By December, the group was confident Climate Solutions would choose the Tri-Cities, said Gretchen Strother, director of sales for the Visitor & Convention Bureau.

Roth described the conference, which is in its 10th year, as an opportunity to foster rural economic development by bringing agriculture and clean energy production entities together.

The speeches and breakout forums are geared toward farmers, ranchers, and other rural landowners; agricultural organizations; public and private utilities; rural economic development leaders; local, state, federal and tribal officials; clean energy firms, consultants and supporters.

Each year, the conference’s location rotates between Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon.

From a business and utility standpoint, Debbie Bone-Harris of Franklin PUD, who worked with the steering committee, said the conference provides an opportunity for companies, organizations and individuals to collaborate on future energy projects.

For example, Roth said landowners can learn how to work with energy companies to get wind turbines on their land. Or organizations can learn how to better utilize biomass or solar energy.

From a tourism and visitor perspective, Visitor & Convention Bureau CEO and President Kris Watkins said the conference will showcase the Tri-Cities. “We’re always looking to promote activities in the Tri-Cities,” she said.

She hopes the hundreds of visitors plan future vacations to tour the area’s wineries or spend a weekend golfing. “The best marketing tool you can use is word of mouth.” Watkins said.

The conference last visited the Tri-Cities in 2002, Roth said, drawing about 200 people. Roth said the 700 to 800 expected visitors to the 2010 event would be a record.  “It’s sort of gradually grown each year,” he said.

Source: Tri-Cities Herald    www.harvestcleanenergy.org/conference