Case Study

Company: The Seattle Times

Business Sector: Newspaper Publisher

Published: October 2007

Highlights

• saved 6,000 gallons of water a day
• saw full return on investment in under 5 years

Background

The Seattle Times is a 111-year-old locally owned, private and independent news and information company. Founded in 1896 by Alden J. Blethen, The Seattle Times Company is a fourth- and fifth-generation family business that values the unique environment of its Pacific Northwest home.

Going Green

Beginning in the 2001, The Seattle Times has implemented a number of initiatives that have conserved resources and saved money. 

Water Conservation

In summer 2001, the facilities department at The Seattle Times in Bothell transformed their landscape watering from a basic on/off clock timer to a “smart” computerized controller.  The new computerized system contains a flow meter to quickly identify major leaks, shut down affected areas, and notify the operator.  It also has the capacity to automatically adjust the watering schedule according to the weather, so the landscape receives only the water it requires. “The new system makes it easier to control and manage watering. It also alerts us when we have breaks in the irrigation lines so we can address them more quickly,” observes Jon Ellis, Facilities Manager for the Times.  With the new system in place, the Times

• saves 6,000 gallons of water per day
• is able to identify and fix leaks

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