May 26, 1997

Feds plan to slash energy bills

The U.S. Department of Energy has selected five contractors to finance, design and install renewable-energy and energy-efficiency projects at federal facilities in eight Western states, including Washington. The projects are part of the DOE's new nationwide program, FREE Savings (Financing for Renewable Energy and Efficiency), which is designed to reduce the federal government's energy use by 30 percent by 2005. The following contractors will be eligible to compete for the federal projects in the Western United States:

• The Bentley Co., an energy, engineering and management firm based in Walnut Creek, Calif.;
• Energy Pacific of San Diego, a joint venture of Enova Corp. and Pacific Enterprises;
• ERI Services of Bridgeport, Conn.;
• Honeywell of Minneapolis, and
• Johnson Controls Inc. of Walnut Creek.

Bentley, Honeywell and Johnson Controls all have offices in the Puget Sound area. Bentley teamed with Puget Sound Energy of Bellevue and MacDonald-Miller Co. of Seattle to compete for the award. Under a shared-savings contracting mechanism, the contractors will be paid out of the actual energy savings they deliver, which means the projects will be done at no cost to the government. The federal government will pay a maximum of $750 million for all five contractors' services. Doug Chamberlin, manager of technical services for Bentley, said this should result in an "even split," with each contractor earning approximately $150 million.

Landau announces promotion, addition

EDMONDS -- Landau Associates Inc. has announced the promotion of Brad Severtson to project engineer and the addition of Art Benedict as a senior engineer. Severtson specializes in the development and implementation of models to evaluate groundwater flow, well hydraulics, contaminant fate and transport, subsurface investigations and environmental remediation. Benedict has more than 25 years experience in environmental and civil engineering. His professional experience includes municipal wastewater management, water supply, solids-disposal technology, industrial- and hazardous-waste management and groundwater-contamination studies. Landau Associates is an environmental and geotechnical engineering consulting firm with headquarters in Edmonds and offices and Tacoma and Spokane.

Boomsnub to repair groundwater system

VANCOUVER -- The Department of Ecology is giving the Boomsnub Corp. until the end of June to repair an underground vault designed to protect groundwater below its chrome-plating plant in Vancouver. The underground vault is a backup to the plant's main system for collecting spills from the plating tanks. Built by Benting Construction, the vault is designed to provide a watertight seal between the plating plant and the groundwater. Ecology inspectors say they believe the vault has been breached and groundwater can seep into it. "Chromic acid and other chemicals are not leaving the plant," said Megan White, manager of Ecology's hazardous waste and toxics reduction program. "The steps Ecology will require the company to take are to prevent problems from happening in the future." Boomsnub opened its plant at 3611 N.E. 68th St. in August 1994 after groundwater was contaminated at the company's former location on Northeast 47th Avenue. That former location is now a Superfund site.

Kinsella a 'national leader' at SCS

BELLEVUE -- John Kinsella, vice president and ISO 14000 lead auditor for SCS Engineers in Bellevue, now has a new job title at SCS: national leader for environmental management system (EMS) services. Kinsella has spearheaded SCS Engineers' efforts to develop a niche in the ISO 14000 and EMS markets. He has worked on ISO 14000 projects with the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Department of Energy at Hanford and many private Northwest companies. Kinsella also has developed a series of ISO 14000 training seminars that are held six times a year throughout Washington, Oregon and Idaho. The next one, an auditor training course, is scheduled for June 9-13 in Portland. For information, call Kris Baldyga at (206) 746-4600.

Ecology awards grants, loans to communities

OLYMPIA -- The state Department of Ecology has awarded grants and loans to local governments for the following projects:

• A $360,000 low-interest loan to the city of Leavenworth to design an upgrade to the city's wastewater treatment plant, which discharges water to the Wenatchee River. After design is completed, the city may apply for more grants or loans for construction of the project, which would begin in 1998 or 1999. For information, call Jim Milton at Ecology at (509) 575-2434.
• A $190,390 grant to the city of Federal Way to provide recycling for apartment complexes and condos, purchase compost bins and provide educational programs. Call Allen Robbins at (360) 407-6074.
• A $100,800 grant to Skagit County to purchase recycling equipment. Call Allen Robbins at (360) 407-6074.
• A $49,706 grant to the city of Renton for waste-reduction, recycling and educational programs. Call Allen Robbins at (360) 407-6074.
• A $30,059 to the city of SeaTac to expand the city's recycling drop-box program, buy composting bins for city residents and provide educational programs. Call Diane Christel at (360) 407-6062.

May 23, 1997

Kauri

Kauri Investments Ltd. has added Kiri Pykett Rennaker as a project and asset manager. Her projects include Hidden Creek Condominiums, a 129-unit property being renovated and marketed in Bellevue, and Central Park East, 384-unit apartment complex in Bellevue that is undergoing renovation and re-tenanting. Rennaker has more than 10 years' experience in real estate development and land use planning. Before joining Kauri, she was responsible for design, construction supervision and tenant build-out of One Pacific Tower, a 27-story condominium in downtown Seattle.

May 22, 1997

PLD

Tor Alden has joined PLD (Polivka Logan Design) as vice president of Industrial Design. He will be responsible for strategic business direction and the formulation of design policy for the Industrial Design Group. Seattle-based Huber Design is a member of the PLD Creative Alliance based in Minneapolis.

Pure Audio

Steven Heinke has joined Seattle-based Pure Audio as sound designer/senior engineer, where his responsibilities will include digital sound design for commercial post-production projects. Pure Audio, formerly MacDonald Recording, provides audio production and sound design for television, radio, film and new media.

Entros

This Friday, Entros will unveil a new menu and three new games at its "intelligent amusement park" in Seattle. The changes are part of the company's focus on providing a unique dinner party experience. The new menu, designed by executive chef John McNabb, offer diners a "shareable feast," with most items portioned for two or more. The new games include a high-touch parlor game experience called the Red Room, a larger-than-life Prize Wheel, and a new version of Entros' multimedia gameshow, The Blender.

InControl

Redmond-based InControl, Inc. has promoted Phillip Foshee, Jr. to vice president of Design Engineering. Foshee will oversee the management and direction of hardware, software and mechanical engineering for the company. InControl Inc. develops new therapies for atrial rhythm management and is working with medical researchers worldwide to advance the treatment of atrial fibrillation.