Since its opening in 2009, the Allison Inn & Spa in Newberg, OR, has regularly appeared in the pages of travel magazines listing it as one of the best hotels in the country. And though luxury is the forefront for this Willamette Valley resort and spa, it does not come at the cost of sustainability. Glumac provided MEP engineering, and technology integration services for the hotel, helping it become one of the greenest hotels in the country at the time and achieve LEED Gold certification.

The resort has a high need for hot water, with 85 guest rooms, a 15,000 sf spa, a pool, and kitchen all demanding hot water at a moment’s notice. Glumac designed what became the largest solar hot water system in Oregon, reducing the property’s gas consumption and providing greater efficiencies in heating. Photovoltaic panels were also integrated directly in to the roof to harvest significant energy without impacting the luxury look and feel of the hotel. The two systems combine to offset nearly 20% of the energy consumed by the building annually. Overall, with Glumac’s help, the Allison Inn was able to achieve more than 50% of energy savings as compared to similar facilities. Additionally, a variable refrigerant flow system was designed to maintain building comfort, and dedicated outside systems provide fresh air to the interiors.

Glumac’s Lighting Studio designed a lighting system that gives staff and guests the ability to create custom conditions for the conference spaces and guest rooms. LED lighting above the guest room doors and in the spa were designed to maintain a unique ambiance while minimizing energy consumption. Glumac also acted as the Fundamental Commissioning Authority, overseeing and participating in the building commissioning process to ensure that the building’s mechanical and electrical systems are complete, fully functional and perform in accordance with the contract documents and design intent.

Size: 140,000 square feet
Cost: $35 million
Completion Date: 2009
Architect: GGLO
Contractor: Lease Crutcher Lewis
Services: MEP Engineering, Technology Integration, Commissioning, Lighting

Images courtesy of Pete Eckert