Built in 1979, Timberhills Apartments in Corvallis, Oregon, is home to 52 residential units spread across duplexes and three multistory buildings. Like many aging properties, Timberhills has faced its fair share of wear and tear, most notably the original aluminum windows that were drafty, noisy and inefficient.
“When you’re dealing with a 45-year-old property, everything is getting to the point where it needs to be updated,” said property manager Criss Schlundt.
Take the windows, for example.
Tenants, including Schlundt herself, who lives in one of the units, knew firsthand how ineffective the old aluminum windows were, especially during extreme weather events. The catch? Upgrades like these don’t come cheap. “You can’t just replace one window or one unit at a time. It all has to be done at once,” Schlundt explained.
Energy Trust of Oregon steps in
The path to getting incentives wasn’t exactly a straight line. According to Schlundt, the property owners kicked off the window replacement project with one goal in mind: improving tenant comfort. It wasn’t until midway through the work that they realized the project might qualify for cash incentives from Energy Trust of Oregon.
“I reached out, and within a week, someone responded,” said Schlundt. From there, it was a quick process: a walkthrough of the property, gathering project details, and submitting the paperwork for incentives, even though the upgrades were already underway.
In the end, Timberhills received nearly $22,600 in cash incentives for the new windows, which will result in over $5,400 in utility bill savings annually.
“If you’re already doing the work, it just makes sense,” Schlundt said. “Why not get money back for something you were going to do anyway?”
Better windows and improved comfort – without higher bills
All 52 units at Timberhills received a much-needed upgrade: energy-efficient vinyl windows that replaced the original aluminum ones. According to Schlundt, the difference in new windows was immediate, from improved comfort and noise reduction to lower utility bills.
“My apartment is right next to a busy street,” she said. “Before, taking a nap in the middle of the day was impossible, the road noise was constant. Now, with the new windows, I hear nothing when the window is closed.”
Schlundt also noticed a dramatic improvement in warmth. “This past winter, I didn’t even turn on my heat, and it never kicked on automatically. That’s how much heat the new windows retain.” And she’s not the only one. Schlundt says tenants have told her their apartments feel warmer and more comfortable overall.
The project’s success has the Timberhill’s team already planning future upgrades, with plans to apply for more incentives down the road. “Energy Trust made the whole thing easier,” she said. “They took on most of the back-and-forth with the contractor and even reached out to Home Depot on our behalf when we needed more documentation. We couldn’t have done it without them.”
Next time? They’ll bring Energy Trust in from the very beginning.
Ready to upgrade your property? Learn more about how Energy Trust can help you save energy and reduce costs at your multifamily property. Visit the cash incentives page or get started by emailing our team.