Renovating a historic home inevitably unleashes a number of challenges from maintaining the integrity of the original design to coping with plumbing and electrical systems crafted for another age. Time, noise, dust and outright inconveniences are just a few of the additional costs associated with the price of renewing a historic property. Consider multiplying the costs by 155, and you may begin to fathom the formidable task that awaits a historic hotel embarking on a renovation program while remaining open to the public.

The Heathman Hotel, located in downtown Portland, Ore., is no stranger to renovations. The hotel has been through its share of updates to maintain its stature among the city’s leading luxury accommodations. Last year, it began a major effort to revamp all of its 155 guest bathrooms. If working within the constraints of a building dating from 1927 wasn’t daunting enough, the hotel sought to bring the remodel in line with its commitment to sustainability by using local resources, recycling when possible and ensuring energy efficiency. The result is a stunning 99 percent landfill-free remodel achieved without sacrificing elegance or comfort.

Thinking Locally

To reduce the overall carbon footprint of the remodel, the Heathman Hotel teamed up with local architecture firm Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects (AMAA) and selected area vendors with a commitment to green practices. Keeping vendors local mitigated the environmental costs of transporting and shipping materials. Local labor refurbished existing marble countertops and area craftsmen milled wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council for upgraded cabinets.

What couldn’t be incorporated into the new bathroom design was gently removed and sent to the ReBuilding Center, an organization that sells old fixtures and materials. In the Heathman’s case, the center accepted all of the hotel’s old plumbing fixtures. As a result, the 1 percent of the project’s waste directed to landfills included mostly mirrors broken during removal. Through its recycling efforts, the Heathman diverted 15 tons of debris from local landfills.

The Heathman Hotel exterior

Pursuing Greater Energy Efficiency

The Heathman previously completed two significant energy saving initiatives: It introduced a new heating and cooling system and replaced existing lighting with compact fluorescent bulbs. Both energy efficiency efforts have paid for themselves within two years thanks to the costs savings realized through higher efficiency.

The Heathman was intent on bringing similar cost -- and energy -- savings to its bathroom remodel without inflicting any inconvenience to guests. New low-flow commodes are expected to save up to 50 percent on water by using only 1.5 gallons per flush rather than three. Savings from overall plumbing upgrades will result in 20 percent less energy use.

Energy efficient lighting continues the theme from throughout the rest of the hotel. Specially designed LED lighting behind mirrors and in custom pendants adds ambience without requiring excess energy. Bringing fluorescent lighting into bathrooms also minimizes energy usage, while new doors with glass inserts allow more natural light to flow into the space.

The Heathman Hotel Tea Court

Melding Sustainability with History

Historic buildings have a unique place in our communities, and given the advances in environmentally friendly materials and methods, it is possible to preserve these one-of-a-kind structures while bringing them up to modern, sustainable standards. For the Heathman, not only was the AMAA and local vendor team able to implement green design throughout all 155 guest baths, but they were able to do so in an expedited time frame with minimal disruption to hotel operations.

For the Heathman, sustainable efforts have proved to be wise investments. From a balance sheet standpoint, the improvements in efficiency have paid for themselves within a relatively short period of time. From a more personal perspective, the hotel is proud to take a proactive role in addressing today’s environmental concerns by implementing sound sustainable practices.

Sidebar: Assembling a Local Team

The Heathman Hotel and Ankrom Moison Associated Architects assembled a team of 13 local vendors to achieve a 99 percent landfill-free renovation.

Custom lighting solutions and trim: Eleek Inc.
Tile: Pental Granite and Marble
Tile installation: Contract Flooring & Interiors
Electrical services: Viking Electric
Plumbing and installation services: George Morlan
Teak finishing and installation: Endura Wood Products
Luxury linens and curtains: Pleats
Marble installation and restoration: Wiley Marble Restorations
Painting restoration: Hunt Painting
Furniture and wood restoration: Ryan B. Poulton Woodwork Restoration
Dry wall: Commercial Interior Contractors
Energy consultation and illumination: Portland Lighting
Building materials and mirrors: Blue Vine Studios