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Broker: Portland condo building cut energy costs by 90%

An exterior view shows the front of a building. Photo / Courtesy Benchmark Real Estate The developer of Solaris said energy bills are nearly 90% lower than average due to built-in sustainability measures.
By Laurie Schreiber

After tracking costs for the thee years since it opened, the developer of Solaris — a seven-unit condo building at 130 Morning St. in Portland’s East End — said energy bills are nearly 90% lower than average due to built-in sustainability measures.

“Solaris is saving residents nearly 90% on their energy costs and offering a model that’s good for people, the planet, and the pocketbook,” said Tom Landry, owner of Benchmark Real Estate.

Development was led by Landry and his design-build firm CornerStone Building & Restoration. Great Falls Construction in Gorham managed the project. Lauren Reiter of CornerStone Building & Restoration was the lead architect. Acorn Engineering was also involved.

Solar, insulation

Landry said he tracked heat, cooling and electricity costs.

“It’s not enough anymore to just provide fancy countertops and high-end faucets,” he said. 

Average electric bills at Solaris are as low as $75 per month, he said; $40 of that is the delivery fee, meaning that $35 is for heat, air conditioning and electricity.

The savings are due to the building’s shared rooftop solar installation, super-insulated envelope, air-sealed construction and triple-pane windows, he said.

An aerial view shows a number of buildings and streets.
Photo / Courtesy Benchmark Real Estate
Rooftop solar helps condo owners at the Solaris save on energy bills.

Solaris is home to one of Portland’s larger scale residential solar farms. On the roof are more than 70 solar panels.

Units are pricey: a resale opportunity — with three bedrooms, 2.5-baths two decks, office, storage, one-car garage parking, an organic garden plot and water views —is listed at $1.495 million.

But compared to a typical condominium, said Landry, units cost hundreds of thousands of dollars less to operate and maintain over time.

Completed in 2022, Solaris was built on spec as a showcase of sustainable-energy construction in market-rate real estate, he said. 

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