We work a lot in energy efficiency. In our experience, we’ve found the biggest challenge is making energy, and the waste of it, visible. So when NEEA’s BetterBricks asked us to develop a video series on building Night Walks, we saw an opportunity to put energy in plain sight and in relatable terms. Looking at buildings at night allows you to diagnose energy issues that would have gone unseen during occupied hours. With the Night Walk video series, our aim was to show how energy was being wasted and arm building engineers and property managers with the tools needed to fix these issues.

We enlisted the help of an energy engineer whose expertise and personality made him the perfect host for the video series. Over multiple Night Walks, we filmed our host as he uncovered hidden energy wasters using visual cues, such as a sheet of paper sucked into an elevator shaft to show air leaks in a building. Each video in the 7-part series focused on a single topic to keep the content bite-sized and relevant for management and technical audiences alike.

The final video series provides real-world examples of common issues found during a Night Walk. What’s more, we took an inherently complex topic like building engineering and made it fun, engaging and most importantly, educational.

Watch the video series here.

Sometimes good creative is simply a matter of helping the client find their voice. In this 30-second spot Coates Kokes recently concepted and produced for Adventist Health, we found a way to frame their cardiac services in the context of the emotional issues ultimately at play in something as serious as heart surgery. The key insight is that it’s not just one heart at risk with coronary disease, but rather also the hearts of their loved ones.

The spot, and corresponding print and outdoor executions, deliver on this insight in a soft-spoken tone appropriate for the subject and the client—it is their spot after all. Using the perspective of the spouse of the patient, rather than the patient himself, to tell the story makes for a more compassionate and interesting presentation.

While the medical science and technique of the matter are always of primary importance at Adventist Health—they’re in the top 10% nationwide for how quickly cardiac arrest is stopped and one of only two accredited Chest Pain Centers in the state—so is the delivery of services. Our client has always made it very clear to us that the compassionate side of the care was an equally important measure of success. We’re glad to know they think this spot goes a long way toward demonstrating why Adventist Health provides “care you can have faith in.”

Portland Metropolitan Association of Building Owners and Managers (BOMA)’s Carbon4Square challenge - the first of its kind in the country - has recruited 85 office buildings totaling over 14 million square feet to assess and improve environmental performance within their operations.  Representing over 20 percent of the entire Portland metropolitan market, from downtown to surrounding cities, each building team will develop customized strategies to reduce their “carbon footprint” through the 4 “W’s” – watts, water, waste, and wheels.

Launched by Portland Metropolitan BOMA in partnership with the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance’s BetterBricks initiative, Coates Kokes designed the logo, web site and collateral materials and leads public relations for the program.

Carbon4Square provides a simple framework to understand and act on both the financial and environmental benefits in improving building operations.  Participants will have access to local area experts, financial and technical resources, and educational opportunities to help them get started.  Additionally, each building will be assigned their very own “4Square Coach” to guide them through the competition and assist in creating their “Sustainability Playbook” that outlines their environmental priorities for the next two-three years.

Participants will also have access to the Carbon4Square Status Board, which details the types of tracking that each property manager has completed and allows participants to track their individual performance and compete with their peers.

“We know it takes significant effort to achieve the benefits, both financial and environmental, realized by sustainable building operations,” said Susan Steward, BOMA Portland Executive Director, LEED Green Associate. “BOMA Portland’s priority is to demonstrate commitment to our members and the commercial real estate industry by launching the Carbon4Square challenge and recognizing the skill and expertise demonstrated by the facility teams that run these buildings on a day-to-day basis.”

“Sustainability is at the forefront of our current business plan and it is also a top priority for our owners and tenants,” says Kim Schoenfelder, Project Director, KG Investment Management and a Carbon4Square participant. “The expert support offered by Carbon4Square coaches helps us identify the key areas where we can reduce our energy consumption and carbon footprint and also creates the roadmap for us to achieve the goals of our current sustainability plan.”

In addition to BOMA Portland and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, Carbon4Square partners include the Energy Trust of Oregon, The City of Portland’s BEST Business Center, City of Portland Department of Transportation, City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, ENERGY STAR®, Metro, City of Gresham’s Great Businesses, and Business Smart Trips.
 

We went down to Packaging Specialties to see Imelda's shopping bags getting printed, and as you can see, they are looking great! The printing process to make these shopping bags is amazing, check out more information about the process here, and don't forget to head over to Imelda's to see the finished bags (and maybe snag yourself a new pair of shoes)!