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Program Improvements Enhance Downtown’s Holiday Shopping Experience, Second Year of LED Lights, Renewable Power Continue Energy, Cost Savings

PORTLAND, Ore. – City and business leaders came together today in front of Brooks Brothers to celebrate the kick-off of the annual downtown holiday lighting program. This year, new trees planted in cedar boxes and trees fully wrapped in LED lights were added along Yamhill and Morrison streets. Enhancements to the holiday lighting program are part of the Downtown Retail Strategy’s efforts to create a signature retail district. This is the second year the program has used LED lights and renewable power.

“The holiday lighting program is something downtown property owners look forward to each year and take a lot of pride in and we hope all Portlanders do too,” said Michelle Martin, chair of Portland Downtown Services, Inc., which funds the program. “Each year we try to make the program better and better; last year, we went green and this year we found ways to support our downtown retailers with new features.”

The holiday lighting program reflects the city’s commitment to sustainability. Last year, the program went “green” by replacing traditional incandescent lights with 22,000 LED lights, which saved 320,000-kilowatt hours, enough energy to power a 27-story office tower building for approximately two weeks. Last year’s energy costs also dropped by 80 percent, a savings consumers could also benefit from by switching to LED lights at home. Additionally, the program’s LED lights are so durable that none had to be replaced this year.

For the second year in a row, Pacific Power and Portland General Electric, the electric utilities serving the downtown area, are supplying renewable energy credits to make the program even more “green.”

The duration of the program has also been extended, as the lights will remain up through March 30.

The Alliance has been managing the downtown holiday lighting program for eight years. Property owners in the downtown Business Improvement District cover the full costs of the lights installation, maintenance and electricity costs. Portland’s holiday lighting program is one of the largest tree-lighting programs in the nation.

For the fifth year in a row, the Alliance is contracting with A Light Up Company of Beaverton. The company uses installation techniques that are overseen and approved by the Urban Forestry Department to ensure no damage is done to the trees during the installation process.