Turning down the lights

• Inlet Trading Post gains insight toward lowering energy costs
By Naomi Klouda
Homer Tribune

Asia Freeman

The Bunnell Street Gallery operates in the Inlet Trading Post, Homer’s oldest commercial building. Its classic western-style dates from the no-nonsense building designs of the Depression Era, constructed in 1936 from a Sears & Roebuck shipment that arrived via steamship.
“Its construction was totally straightforward. Every window is 30-by-60 inches. All the bedrooms upstairs are exactly the same size,” Bunnell Director Asia Freeman said. “I’ve been amazed by its flex and durability.”
Hardwood floors remain so durable, they’ve endured the better part of a century of traffic that started when the building was first opened by Maybelle and Arthur Berry as a grocery store. A hotel was upstairs.
A chute located where the Fringe is downstairs was once the place where local coal was loaded for a giant boiler that warmed the whole building.
There’s evidence enough of its enduring construction also in the Douglas Fir beams that enamor many a retired builder visiting the gallery.
Yet the building overlooks Bishop’s Beach, exposed to its wrathful winter winds and pelting rains. Those perfectly dimensioned — and single-paned — windows leak a good share of warmth.

HOMER TRIBUNE/Naomi Klouda - Energy Auditor Bill Steyer rates factors like crawlspaces, insulation, water usage and lighting fixtures when looking at how best to help conserve energy.

A program for small businesses is currently in place to help out the 74-year-old building, which houses the gallery, a bed and breakfast, The Fringe clothing store and three art studios under the umbrella of Inlet Trading Post LLC. The money comes from a $90,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Business Enterprise Grant that Homer energy advocate Taz Tally was able to obtain. From it, 27 businesses are now able to find out what problems hinder their buildings from achieving efficient use of energy.
The answers are detailed by the time business auditor Bill Steyer completes his task. How much has Inlet Trading Post paid for electricity over the past two years? How much wattage is used? What are the main sources of energy consumption? Where is the heat lost?
For the Bunnell, an obvious presumption might be to target the windows. True, Freeman found. Buying double-paned windows will help this building retain heat.
But an easier-to-target, and surprisingly big energy expense, comes in the form of lighting.
“It takes 64 halogen light bulbs, each generating 75 watts, to illuminate the gallery,” Freeman said. “At one point, I thought of switching to LED bulbs, but they don’t provide enough lumens for an art gallery.”

HOMER TRIBUNE/Naomi Klouda - Asia Freeman, director at Bunnell Street Gallery, shows some of the gallery’s 64 lights it takes to illuminate art.

Lumens are a measurement of illumination. It takes 1,100 per bulb to provide adequate exhibit quality lighting, Freeman explained. For galleries, the angle of light, correct coloring and other visual components are essential.
Key energy saving can be found in replacing those 64 halogen bulbs with a new type. The recommendation came at the end of an energy audit by Steyer, who operates the Energy Saver LLC.
A switch to “metal halide” bulbs (Steyer calls these “lamps”) can cut Bunnell’s lighting bill to one-third its present size. They cost $82 each, but produce 1,400 lumens and last 7 years. That’s an additional savings over the current cost of $4-$13 per bulb that lasts only 1-2 years at most.
“For an initial investment of $5,000 to provide the light bulbs, we can realize the savings within just a few years,” Freeman calculated.
The savings comes not only in utility costs, but also energy usage, Steyer explained. The ceramic bulbs utilize 25 watts of power, compared to the 75 watts previously used. But he notes Bunnell’s lighting needs require special lamps that are significantly more expensive than the typical office or business would require.

Where to start

HOMER TRIBUNE/Naomi Klouda - Homer’s oldest commercial building started out as a grocery store, built by Maybelle and Arthur Berry, in 1936. It supplied a variety of merchandise to homesteaders, fox farmers, commercial fisherman and for many years as a hotel. Today the three-story building continues to serve several businesses and an art gallery.

“There’s a lot more to it than just changing a bulb,” Steyer said. “By investing wisely, you can bring down your energy costs and conserve up to 60 percent more energy at the same time.”
The lighting issue might be the best, first place to start, because the investment is small while the savings will be substantial, Steyer said. Metal halide lamps can be ordered locally or through online sources, but he cautions the novice to get help from an energy consultant to navigate through the maze of wattage/size options on this relatively new technology.
Each energy audit comes with a variety of recommendations that address needs in the entire building “envelope.” That means looking at what insulation protects the walls and crawl spaces? How do doors and windows address warm air leakages?
Once problems are identified, which solution comes first is important.
“It doesn’t do much good to invest in an expensive renewable energy source — solar or wind — if you have building heat loss,” Steyer said. The program allows business owners to apply for grants to address renewable energy after initial fixes are made.
“I recommend that people focus on what they can afford,” Steyer said. “It’s a good idea to identify the easiest place to invest in the most energy savings.”
Once the first phase of energy fixes is decided upon, grants are available to help offset the expense for businesses installing new systems by up to 25 percent.

Bunnell’s future
Just because help is out there for fixing up business buildings and making it so owners can invest more in operations than heating-electricity-fuel costs doesn’t mean the road is easy. There are a good $100,000 in improvements recommended for the Inlet Trading Post, Freeman said.
The building’s usefulness, however, isn’t questioned.
“It is recognized as an important public space,” she said, speaking of the many events Bunnell Gallery hosts, its role promoting the arts in education and “to nurture and present innovative art in all media for diverse audiences.”
The vulnerability of specific historic buildings were recognized by a listing of “Most Endangered Historic Properties,” done by the Alaska Association for Historic Preservation. The Inlet Trading Post made No. 8 on the listing for 2010, making it eligible for grants such as one to help with energy issues.
“Hopefully, we can make changes a few at a time, and improve the function while maintaining the (historic) appearance,” she said.

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