Sustainable Feature #2: Lighting Controls

     Let There Be Light (When Needed):   Significant opportunities for savings from lighting controls exist at the Hogan Building. The idea is for light to be immediately available in building spaces when needed and for cost savings to be realized by turning off lights in spaces when they are not occupied.  For example, bathrooms are unoccupied 70% of the time, and offices may be unoccupied up to 53% of the time, during any given workday.  Industry studies suggest that energy savings  related to lighting could reach 60% if  automatic off sensors were utilized.  These are basically motion sensors that are tied to the light switches.  When no motion is detected for a pre-determined period of time, usually a few minutes, the light control sensors turn off the lights.  The lights are reactivated when motion is sensed, such as would result from a person re-entering a room.  The potential energy savings from lighting controls and sensors are further supported by  research reported by the US EPA in their September 2007 report: “Putting Energy in  Profits: ENERGY STAR® Small Business Online Guide which show energy savings of 25% to 75% depending on the room type.  Such lighting controls are relatively inexpensive to install.

     Costs:  Wireless motion sensors with a detection range of 25 feet to control lighting can be purchase at Lowe's or Home Depot for apprximately $25 inclusive of tax.  The Hogan Building would need two wireless control sensors in each of its 24 rentable spaces in the basement and on floors 1 - 3.  An additional 4 sensors would be needed for the bathrrooms in the basement and on Floor 2 where there will be shared office space.  A total of 52 wireless motion control sensors at $25 a piece puts the materials cost at $1,300.  Allowing $700 for installation labor, the total cost of incorporating this sustainable feature into the Hogan Building would be approximately $2,000.

     Benefits:  Due to the cost savings discused above, which will be realized by tenants on their utility costs under NNN leases, the tenants will likely be willing to pay a "rent premium," for space in the Hogan Building.  The "rent premium" will be a portion of the savings realized by the tenant for energy and utility costs. After paying this portion to the owner, the tenant will still recognize a savings over what their costs would be in a building that lacked these sustainable features. Utilizing the wireless motion sensor lighting controls combined with the incorporation of other sustainable elements will allow the Hogan Building to command an additional $1/sf/yr on the rents in each space in the building's three above ground floors. This would equate to an increase in annual rents on the 15,600 sf of rentable space on the first 3 floors of approximately $15,600 and year.

       
     Benefits of a sustainable building also extend beyond the financial realm. Occupying a "green building" is important to many young professionals who desire an urban lifestyle. Having "green aspects" incorporated into the Hogan Building will make it more attractive to this target demograhic. The general public will also receive the benefit of the Hogan Building's lowered emissions and reduction in carbon footprint.