A new 58,000-sf mixed-use project will be Portland's first certified Living Building, Oregon's largest Living Building, and the largest certified Living Building in the world.
Designed to last 500 years, the building has a projected Energy Use Index (EUI) of 18.6 kBtu/SF/YR; a typical Portland office building built to code has a EUI of 40.8 kBtu/SF/YR. A 133 kW PV solar array will occupy 8,300 sf on the building's roof and another 195.4 kW PV array will occupy 10,300 sf on the roof of a partner organization.
The building will also include a 71,000 gallon cistern in the basement comprising 62,500 gallons of rainwater storage and 8,500 gallons of stormwater detention. All of the building’s water and energy needs will be produced via rainwater capture, and the onsite and offsite solar arrays.
A five-story vacuum flush composting waste system will be included as well as a urinal-to-fertilizer system that transforms waste to resource. Additionally, 70% of the building perimeter spaces can be ventilated or cooled with operable windows and 65% of regularly occupied spaces will be daylit throughout the year.
The building's first floor will include retail, a 40-stall bike storage, showers, restrooms, lockers, and a fitness center for building occupant use. The second floor will feature Class A Commercial Office space available for lease, while floors three through five will have office space to be occupied by PAE, the project's MEP engineer.
The project is scheduled for a 2020 groundbreaking with an anticipated completion date in 2021. KPFF is the structural and civil engineer and Gerding Edlen is the developer.
Related Stories
Adaptive Reuse | Sep 19, 2023
Transforming shopping malls into 21st century neighborhoods
As we reimagine the antiquated shopping mall, Marc Asnis, AICP, Associate, Perkins&Will, details four first steps to consider.
Hotel Facilities | Sep 15, 2023
The next phase of sustainability in luxury hotels
The luxury hotel market has seen an increase in green-minded guests looking for opportunities to support businesses that are conscientious of the environment.
Resiliency | Sep 11, 2023
FEMA names first communities for targeted assistance on hazards resilience
FEMA recently unveiled the initial designation of 483 census tracts that will be eligible for increased federal support to boost resilience to natural hazards and extreme weather. The action was the result of bipartisan legislation, the Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act of 2022. The law aims to help localities most at risk from the impacts of climate change to build resilience to natural hazards.
Metals | Sep 11, 2023
Best practices guide for air leakage testing for metal building systems released
The Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) released a new guidebook, Metal Building Systems - Best Practices to Comply with Whole-Building Air Leakage Testing Requirements.
Office Buildings | Aug 31, 2023
About 11% of U.S. office buildings could be suitable for green office-to-residential conversions
A National Bureau of Economic Research working paper from researchers at New York University and Columbia Business School indicates that about 11% of U.S. office buildings may be suitable for conversion to green multifamily properties.
Multifamily Housing | Aug 23, 2023
Constructing multifamily housing buildings to Passive House standards can be done at cost parity
All-electric multi-family Passive House projects can be built at the same cost or close to the same cost as conventionally designed buildings, according to a report by the Passive House Network. The report included a survey of 45 multi-family Passive House buildings in New York and Massachusetts in recent years.
Regulations | Aug 23, 2023
Gas industry drops legal challenge to heat pump requirement in Washington building code
Gas and construction industry groups recently moved to dismiss a lawsuit they had filed to block new Washington state building codes that require heat pumps in new residential and commercial construction. The lawsuit contended that the codes harm the industry groups’ business, interfere with consumer energy choice, and don’t comply with federal law.
Sustainability | Aug 15, 2023
Carbon management platform offers free carbon emissions assessment for NYC buildings
nZero, developer of a real-time carbon accounting and management platform, is offering free carbon emissions assessments for buildings in New York City. The offer is intended to help building owners prepare for the city’s upcoming Local Law 97 reporting requirements and compliance. This law will soon assess monetary fines for buildings with emissions that are in non-compliance.
Green | Aug 7, 2023
Rooftop photovoltaic panels credited with propelling solar energy output to record high
Solar provided a record-high 7.3% of U.S. electrical generation in May, “driven in large part by growth in ‘estimated’ small-scale (e.g., rooftop) solar PV whose output increased by 25.6% and accounted for nearly a third (31.9%) of total solar production,” according to a report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Resiliency | Aug 7, 2023
Creative ways cities are seeking to beat urban heat gain
As temperatures in many areas hit record highs this summer, cities around the world are turning to creative solutions to cope with the heat. Here are several creative ways cities are seeking to beat urban heat gain.
