This class A commercial building, located in Glendale California was built pretty efficiently for its time. However, the property manager realized that with changing technologies and rising energy costs, they needed to investigate improvements. They wanted unbiased guidance, so they utilized 3FFICIENT.

3FFICIENT staff analyzed their energy use and provided an investment grade engineering study that would later be used for complete building upgrades.  This energy efficient retrofit of a 286,000 square foot, 13-story, class A office building included: lighting upgrades, VFDs on HVAC and premium efficiency motors.  This $396,000 project yielded a 28% return on investment.

Environmental Benefits:

  • Annual Energy Savings: 255 kW; 1,120,113 kWh; -755 Therms
  • Annual Emissions Savings: 964,718 lbs CO2 (GHG); 1,859 lbs NOx (smog); 2,106 lbs SO2 (acid rain)
  • Equivalent to planting 1,438 trees each year
  • Equivalent to not driving 1,055,253 miles in a car annually
  • Equivalent to powering 100 large homes with renewable energy


“Well done folks! Thank You.” James Butcher, CBRE General Manager