Energy conservation rebates benefit Tacoma Rescue Mission and community

Although public events have been on hold due to coronavirus, they are slowly coming back. At Cowlitz, we have annually supported the Mossyrock Blueberry Festival and the Southwest Washington Fair, and sponsored and hosted the “Powerful Examples of Excellence” event that honors the achievements of high school students. Elsewhere, we sponsor and participate in the Nisqually Watershed Festival, Long Live the Kings’ Survive the Sound event, and Nisqually Land Trust events. And while we help sponsor the Annual Polar Bear Plunge at Alderbrook, we haven’t yet had any employees brave enough to jump in!

PARTICIPATION/VOLUNTEERING/OUTREACH

Some hydro employees are members of tourism groups. Others present in classrooms, host job-shadow students, speak at local high school job fairs, and provide facility tours. Cushman Hydro Project electrician Chris Gleason volunteers on an advisory board for the Shelton High School MET Academy (Mechatronics, Engineering, and Technology). “Mechatronics encompasses things like robotics, climate and process control, drones, and engineering,” said Chris. “The school is building a program and facilities that will evolve with industry needs. Our board helps steer the program and will bring students to our respective facilities. We aim to help them shape the skills they need so they can walk out of high school with useful tools in their belts.”

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK

“The support we provide is critical,” said Cushman Hydro Project manager Brad Ennis. “We want to show the community that we are here to partner with them. We are invested in their success as well as ours.”

When the Tacoma Rescue Mission thought about their expansion, they weren’t thinking about their lights, heating, or hot water; they were thinking about people. Working with Tacoma Power, the City of Tacoma, and other community partners, they built an energyefficient shelter with the capacity to accommodate 75 to 80 additional beds. By prioritizing energy-efficient equipment and practices, they save resources and extend their mission beyond the building. Patrick Urain, program manager for Business Customer Energy Programs, worked with Executive Director Duke Paulson to identify energy-saving equipment, which earned the Mission valuable rebates. The new shelter boasts energy-efficient appliances, automatic LED lighting, smart water heaters, and an HVAC system. Discussing programs early in the construction phase would lower upfront costs, reduce their energy use, and eventually add to their bottom line. “They win by getting a little bit of money back from the utility, and they win year after year from the electrical savings that they achieve on their energy bill,” said Patrick of the experience. “All of that money allows them to reinvest it in other parts of the Mission.” The larger building is what the community needs. It has enough hot water for 75 to 80 people to shower over seven to eight hours each day. An energy-efficient HVAC system provides an abundance of consistently fresh air flow 24 hours a day. “Utilities are one of those things you kind of take for granted until you start to dig into it and realize how complex it is,” Duke said. “I’ve been impressed not only with the skill in handling the complexity but the customer care that I received from TPU to help navigate those systems.” The total energy savings is enough energy to power a Tacoma Power home for one year. However, the Tacoma Rescue Mission will realize savings over many years now that the suitable building and equipment are in place.