A Game Changer
Marcy Marro, Managing Editor,
Posted
01/09/2012
Once completed, the
world-class, 220,000-square-foot multistory Oregon
Sustainability Center in Portland, Ore., is expected
to achieve net-zero energy and water, while creating
zero carbon emissions. The building will also achieve
both LEED Platinum certification and Living Building
status. The first high-rise building to pursue the
Cascadia Green Building Council's Living Building
Challenge, the OSC is a collaboration between the city
of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, the
Oregon Living Building Initiative, Oregon State Board
of Higher Education and the Oregon University System,
Portland Community College, Portland Development
Commission and the Portland + Oregon Sustainability
Institute.
"Oregon has a long history of environmental
policy innovation and green practices, and the public,
nonprofit and academic communities were on parallel
paths to create a facility focused on
sustainability-as a natural step in keeping Oregon at
the forefront of the green economy," says Anne Mangan,
senior communications coordinator at the Portland
Development Commission. "When several
sustainability-focused nonprofits first started
talking about shared office space, the Living Building
Challenge guidelines had just been released, and
became a priority for the Oregon Living Building
Initiative (made up of these nonprofits and led by the
Oregon Environmental Council), as well as for the public and
academic partners."
The OSC will produce 100 percent
of its energy on-site through the use of
self-sustaining energy generation and distribution
systems. Additionally, it will feature integrated
water reuse for black, grey and stormwater management.
"It will be designed to achieve net-zero energy and
water performance--going far beyond the industry
standard of LEED Platinum," Mangan says. "With all of
its energy generated through solar and geothermal
sources, the OSC will produce zero carbon emissions in
its daily operation. The building will also provide a
venue for industry networking and education, a
showcase for demonstration projects, and a one-stop
shop for businesses in search of information about the
region."
"The photovoltaic
system to be provided by SANYO [North America Corp.]
will be beyond the most efficient panels currently
available in the U.S. market by 10 to 15 percent,"
Mangan continues. "The building will be a 'living
laboratory,' allowing researchers and developers to test new
products and processes."
Design is scheduled to take place through June
2012, with construction beginning in the third quarter
of 2012, and the project completed by the end of 2013.
"Since this is a first-of-its-kind building,
projections about reaching its goal are just that,"
explains Mangan. "Our design team estimates that the
building would likely require going through a full year
of seasons in order to tune it up properly and for the
tenants to acclimate to the building. Then in order to
achieve the Living Building Challenge, the building
must achieve and demonstrate its triple net zero
accomplishments for a period of one year. So an
estimate of two to three years post occupancy is
probably a pretty accurate timeline for certification."
*Images courtesy of GBD Architects and SERA Architects.
Oregon Sustainability Center, Portland, Ore.
Developer: Gerding Edlen Development, Portland
Architects: Joint venture between SERA Architects
Inc., Portland, and GBD Architects, Portland
General contractor: Skanska USA, Parsippany,
N.J.
Mechanical contractor: Charter Mechanical,
Portland
Electrical construction: Oregon Electrical Group,
Portland
Engineering consultants: GeoDesign Inc.,
Portland; Interface Engineering, Portland; KPFF Consulting
Engineers, Portland; McKinstry, Portland; PAE Consulting
Engineers, Portland; Otak, Lake Oswego, Ore.
Site development: Nevue Ngan Associates,
Portland
Curtainwall manufacturer: Benson Industries
LLC, Portland, www.bensonglobal.com
Photovoltaics: SANYO North America Corp., San
Diego, us.sanyo.com/solar