The Bon Marché has been working with Seattle City Light on improving
energy efficiency for more than a decade. The improvements will save an estimated 2 million kilowatt-hours per year. Over the years the downtown store
has:
- Upgraded almost all of its lighting, changing incandescent and older fluorescent lights to modern, energy efficient fluorescent. This saves energy, reduces maintenance and lengthens the life of the lighting.
- Installed day lighting controls in the parking garage. When it is bright enough outside, the daylight control will shut off the
perimeter lighting.
- Installed a direct digital energy control system to automatically monitor and control heating and cooling equipment. The system
ensures that the equipment runs no more than is necessary and only at the optimal temperature settings.
- Store temperature is set at 68 degrees in winter, 74 in summer, instead of former setting of 71/72 degrees year-around.
- Installed Variable Speed Drive controls on the building's fan system so fans operate at their most efficient levels.
- Upgraded elevators with equipment that not only has saved energy but improved elevator safety and response time.
- Rewired much of the building and installed electrical relays that allow them to shut off unnecessary lighting. All the lights can now be controlled as part of the energy management system, which allows four different levels of lighting in the building.
- After-hours work, such as stocking and cleaning, now overlaps to reduce nighttime lighting. Custodial staff works in teams, a floor at a time, to further reduce lighting needs.
