Oregon Sustainability Center to advance sustainability issues

The Oregon Sustainability Center is a living, breathing, and working building, where 725 office tenants and 1,400 students and faculty will use the conference center, classrooms and offices. Located on the edge of the Portland St. Univ. campus in Portland, the Center will bring together academic, government, nonprofit and business sectors to advance the region’s innovation in sustainability.
The Center has developed five major research themes: net-zero energy building technologies and strategies; water use and rainwater retention; material utilization, waste and life cycle environmental impacts; occupant health and performance and integrated performance-based design, construction and operations
The Center’s roofs and canopies will funnel rain water into a 200,000-gallon storage tank in the basement, enough to provide for the building throughout the dry season. Treated graywater will replace potable water in most systems in the building including flushing toilets, irrigation, or cooling mechanical equipment.
All excess water, whether treated wastewater or surplus rainfall, will be directed back into the ground on-site or nearby. Water will infiltrate into the ground naturally through porous surfaces, a groundwater recirculation system under the building, and a green street next to the building.
The Center is a collaborative effort of the Oregon Univ. System in partnership with the City of Portland, the Portland Development Commission, Portland Sustainability Institute, and a group of leading environmental organizations led by the Oregon Environmental Council and Earth Advantage Institute.

Pictured: The Oregon Sustainability Center in Portland, Ore., will bring together academic, government, nonprofit and business sectors to advance the region’s innovation in sustainability.