Nation's largest Passive House senior living facility completed in Portland, Ore.

Construction of Parkview, a high-rise expansion of a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Portland, Ore., completed recently. The senior living facility is touted as the largest Passive House structure on the West Coast, and the largest Passive House senior living building in the country.

Parkview, a 10-story building, adds 127 independent living apartments to the Terwilliger Plaza community, increasing the total number of residents to about 550. The 370,000 sf concrete structure connects to the existing campus via a new steel skybridge, the first of its kind within a new city policy that allows pedestrian bridges for senior living communities. The bridge was an integral part of the design of the $105-million Parkview project that had the goal of interconnectedness throughout the campus.

Architecture firm LRS took inspiration from the surrounding Pacific Northwest region in creating the design that includes interior motifs of mountains and roses. Incorporating efficiency and renewable energy, the structure features solar window shades, energy-efficient appliances, and photovoltaic roof panels.

Parkview is projected to achieve a 42% reduction in energy consumption compared to average senior living buildings of comparable size. The building is projected to save $100,000 annually from Passive House design.

Nation's largest Passive House senior living facility completed in Portland, Ore. — Photo courtesy LRS Architects

The Parkview building consists of 10 levels of residential units sized from 1,100 sf to 2,200 sf. It includes two levels of underground parking.

Master planning for the project began in 2013. Groundbreaking took place in May 2021 and the building opened in Fall 2023.

Terwilliger Plaza is governed by a board of directors composed of a resident member majority, which supports a representative self-governing leadership style that is a unique feature within the senior living industry, according to a news release.

The project's Passive House-related features include:
• Superior air quality and thermal comfort
• Airtight construction
• Reduced thermal bridging
• All-electric design
• High-performance building envelope
• High-performance triple-pane windows
• Heat pump washer-dryer combo units (washes/dries in single unit)
• Heat pump water heaters
• Triple pane windows, sound attenuation
• Solar window shades
• Energy-efficient appliances
• Induction stovetops
• Heat recovery ventilation
• Photovoltaic (PV) roof panels

Owner: Terwilliger Plaza Inc.
Owner’s Development Consultant: MHS Consulting
Project Manager: BC Group
Architect and Interior Design: LRS Architects
MEP, Energy, and Passive House Analysis: PAE
General Contractor: Walsh Construction
Structural Engineer: IMEG Corp.
Civil Engineer: DOWL Engineers
Landscape Architect: PLACE
Acoustical Engineer: ABD Engineering and Design

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