Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 11 M AY 2 , 2 0 1 6 planned to meet with the Village Review Board about the possibil- ity of installing 160 solar panels on the four-story building's roof. e Bangor Daily News reported that because Fort Andross is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, it must receive a cer- tifi cate of appropriateness from the Village Review Board to determine if it aff ects the historical qualities of the property. Anna Breinich, director of planning and development for the town, told the BDN that although the application for the solar panels places them on the northeast end of the building's 65-foot-roof and likely won't be visible from the ground, she is still recommending a visual test to make sure they wouldn't be seen from a distance before they are installed by the Portland-based ReVision Energy. N O T E W O R T H Y M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T The First Bancorp, the parent company of First National Bank in Damariscotta, announced record operating results for the quarter ended March 31. Net income was $4.5 million, up $328,000 or 7.9% from the fi rst quarter and earnings per common share on a fully diluted basis of 42 cents were up 3 cents, or 7.7%, from the same period in 2015. 'Legacy' Brewer brick supplier closes Brewer-based Brooks Brick Co. closed on April 22, citing competi- tion from out-of-state brick suppli- ers, a lack of demand from home- owners, budget cutbacks for school facilities and an aging workforce of masons. e closing of Brooks is the end of a legacy business in the Penobscot County city, David Hanna of the Brewer Historical Society told the Bangor Daily News. At its peak in the 1870s, the city was home to 18 yards that produced 11 million bricks each year — and the bricks that came out of the city were widely renowned for their quality and color. "Brewer bricks were the standard of excel- lence throughout the construction industry," Ernie Heins, manager of Brooks Bricks for its Auburn par- ent company Morin Brick, told the BDN. Heins told the BDN that although the brickyard ceased mak- ing bricks in 1956, it still remained in business selling construction materi- als like bricks, slate, cement and mor- tars produced elsewhere to masons and contractors across the state and greater New England. Orono apartment complex has new owner An Orono apartment complex known as e Grove has new owner- ship. A Chicago-based investment fi rm, Harrison Street Real Estate Capital LLC, paid $1.9 billion for Campus Crest Communities Inc., the Charlotte, N.C.-based owner of the housing complex, the Bangor Daily News reported. e complex, which is known for rowdy parties attended by University of Maine students, will also get a new name, e Reserve at Orono. e 200-unit complex cost $25.3 million to build and was opened in 2012, accord- ing to the BDN. It is made up of 12 apartment buildings and eight townhouses. e $1.9 billion paid for Campus Crest was believed to be the largest sum paid for a portfolio of student housing properties, 38,000 beds in all. Christopher Merrill, co-founder, president and CEO of Harrison Street, said in a release about the acquisition: "Given our focus on long-term, need-based real estate, we believe this investment fi ts well within our current student hous- ing portfolio." N O T E W O R T H Y N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N The towns of Lincoln and Winn voted to sign new contracts with the Penobscot Energy Recovery Co. for handling its municipal waste after the current contracts expire in 2018. Maine Savings in Bangor said its em- ployees raised $26,813 for 19 local hunger organizations. Cobbler Technologies, a multi-material, 3D printing fi rm for the footwear industry in Bangor, announced 3DAPD printing technology that provides the ability to print foams, plastics and rubbers with dynamic material changes in real time. T he 46 th annual Earth Day celebration April 22 occurred when record numbers of companies, including many small businesses, have adopted eco-friendly practices, working with green ven- dors, recycling or eliminating paper or using more energy-effi cient lighting. But bigger initiatives, such as implementing smart meters, energy-effi cient equipment or even installing solar panels still can be too expensive, according to a recent survey of close to 1,200 small-business own- ers by research company Manta of Columbus, Ohio. Some 39% said larger investments were too pricey. Manta found that 97% of small-business owners believe sustainability is important to their business, even though 53% still don't agree climate change is a serious threat. Businesses have found even small sustainability eff orts, including the 64% that reuse or donate items, the 33% that work with green ven- dors and the 58% that recycle, can bring good will from both employees and customers. Some local Maine companies and institutions are making the investment, with optimism that the return-on-investment will improve both their bot- tom line and their business reputation. When it moved from an old barn in Brownfi eld to a former school in Hiram, GrandyOats said it intended to initiate broad-ranging sustainability practices in the rehabilitated school. It aims to power its offi ces and processing plant 100% with solar energy that it says will generate more than 95,000 kilowatt hours yearly. When the company made the announcement, it said it aims to be the fi rst carbon net zero production facility in New England, meaning it will not burn any fossil fuels. "Going off the grid has long been a GrandyOats goal," Aaron Anker, chief granola offi cer of GrandyOats, said in a statement when announcing the sustainability plans last September. "Maine is our home and its rivers and mountains have shaped the spirit of our company. By going 100% solar we're doing our part right here at home." e custom-designed solar electric system by Portland-based ReVision Energy will power ovens, computers, forklifts, lights, heating, cooling and everything else at GrandyOats. e instal- lation will include an 80.64 kilowatt system with 288 photovoltaic modules and off set an estimated 145,000-plus pounds of greenhouse gas emis- sions annually, according to GrandyOats, which said that's the same as driving 25 round trips from Hiram to San Francisco. And in late April the owners of the former Brunswick-based Fort Andross said they are looking to install 160 solar panels on the four-story building's roof, according to the Bangor Daily News. e news- paper said that because Fort Andross is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, it must receive a certifi cate of appropriateness from the Village Review Board to install the panels, which are expected to be supplied by ReVision Energy. Since such systems in smaller companies are still relatively new, it will take time to see if cost-saving expectations meet the reality of the investment. Manta's survey found that the top way small busi- nesses could be encouraged to adopt more sustainable practices are aff ordability (31%), government incentives or tax breaks (30%), more sustainable material and ven- dor options (26%) and greater public demand (13%). John Swanciger, CEO of Manta, told tech publi- cation eWEEK that smaller sustainability practices like recycling are fairly cost-effi cient and simple, but implementing larger eco-friendly measures like solar panels are still expensive and complex. " … business owners should weigh the larger up-front costs with the long-term potential savings," he told eWEEK. "By carefully measuring potential savings and researching available tax breaks, owners may fi nd that some of these bigger initiatives may be more aff ordable than originally thought." B I Z M O N E Y B Y L O R I V A L I G R A Sustainable practices aren't just for big companies N O R T H E R N & E A S T E R N Going off the grid has long been Going off the grid has long been Going off the grid has long been Going off the grid has long been Going off the grid has long been Going off the grid has long been Going off the grid has long been Going off the grid has long been Going off the grid has long been Going off the grid has long been Going off the grid has long been Going off the grid has long been Going off the grid has long been Going off the grid has long been a GrandyOats goal. Maine is our a GrandyOats goal. Maine is our a GrandyOats goal. Maine is our a GrandyOats goal. Maine is our a GrandyOats goal. Maine is our a GrandyOats goal. Maine is our a GrandyOats goal. Maine is our a GrandyOats goal. Maine is our a GrandyOats goal. Maine is our a GrandyOats goal. Maine is our a GrandyOats goal. Maine is our a GrandyOats goal. Maine is our a GrandyOats goal. Maine is our home and its rivers and mountains have shaped the spirit of our company. By going 100% solar we're doing our part right here at home. — Aaron Anker, chief granola offi cer of GrandyOats

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