Sustainability Center | dead

[tworivers]

Looks like the Oregon Sustainability Institute will be sited on the Jasmine Tree block. And it may be funded in the near future. Great news. I hope they keep the streetcar running under the building as previously planned. (*)

Divulged by Sam in his inaugural speech today:

"Adams also announced that Gov. Ted Kulongoski had proposed $80 million in bonds to create the Oregon Sustainability Institute near Portland State University. The new center will be in a block between Southwest Fourth and Fifth avenues and Harrison and Montgomery streets, where the Harrison Court Apartments, the Jasmine Tree Restaurant and a PSU surface parking lot are located.

PDC purchased the site occupied by the Jasmine Tree and the parking lot in 2003 for $3.64 million.

Several green-oriented businesses and nonprofit organizations are also interested in moving into the new building that will be constructed there."

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/...19589848267600

(*)

[crow]

Originally Posted by Valentij

Wow. Can anyone explain to me how the sewage and water recycling works? That seems pretty intense.

first greywater has to be optimized. With that, then the only potable water needs are served by treated rainwater collection - on site. This is for sinks, showers, drinking fountains. For the sewage - it is treated by an on-site "living machine". This is done through a series of digestion tanks that break down the blackwater and the effluent is then pumped and treated through an active wetland (garden - usually subtropic or tropical plants) that then create greywater. In some cases this can reach a point of being potable (though a stretch for codes). With the living machine there still is a compost that has to be removed from the building. The process is very similar to how nature treats it's own waste. A similar installation is going into the new Port of Portland building at the airport.

[maccoinnich]

I'm familiar with the concept, but I don't think I've ever heard of it done in a dense urban context? Is there room for a network of reed beds or whatever on the site? And even if there is, is that the best use of land in the middle of a city?

[crow]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

I'm familiar with the concept, but I don't think I've ever heard of it done in a dense urban context? Is there room for a network of reed beds or whatever on the site? And even if there is, is that the best use of land in the middle of a city?

I don't believe I heard it being on land? It is inside the building. Would you prefer sewer pipes leaching into the ground (avg 1% leakage) traveling out to the farm land to be treated rather than on-site within the place that created the waste? For the OSC it is my understanding that the Living Machine is not a wetland in the way you are describing with reeds and cattails, which i understand create oxygen at their roots to break down waste water in a more traditional waste water treatment facility. This is really a glorified greenhouse with a recipe of plants to break the waste water effluent into a resource of greywater. Valentij – I could not agree more. So much energy has been focused on "a" design that the real strength of this study is the knowledge to be gained by a community, by the local architects, and the city to really push forward another way of thinking about solving our continued waste and lazy way of business as usual with the buildings we build - whatever they look like. Unfortunately the first take is that these systems create a higher load on the building rents. Living machine, storage tanks, enclosed gardens, pump rooms, capital to build PV production aparatus and integrated PV all impact the cost and therefore the rent. With cheap utilities it has hard to justify with zero utility bills alone. It is a catalyst, and whatever happens there is plenty for others to take into their own work.

[Valentij]

Thanks Crow. That's pretty amazing. I wonder if the active wetland will emit odors, or where it will be placed in relation to outdoor patios and opening windows. It seems like a lot of internal space will be devoted to these systems. That's not a bad thing, but seems contrary to the normal development goal of utilizing every square inch for saleable property. Also, will the building consume water (albeit much, much less) during drier months? Could it add water to "the grid" during rainy months?

People have been so hung up on the design, but I'm just amazed at the utility of this building. Even if these practices aren't adopted wholesale, it will pave the way to innovation in mainstream building and design. I mean, shouldn't every building in Oregon process rainwater? Shouldn't every building in California have PV on the roof?

[crow]

Originally Posted by Valentij

Thanks Crow. That's pretty amazing. I wonder if the active wetland will emit odors, or where it will be placed in relation to outdoor patios and opening windows. It seems like a lot of internal space will be devoted to these systems. That's not a bad thing, but seems contrary to the normal development goal of utilizing every square inch for saleable property. Also, will the building consume water (albeit much, much less) during drier months? Could it add water to "the grid" during rainy months?

People have been so hung up on the design, but I'm just amazed at the utility of this building. Even if these practices aren't adopted wholesale, it will pave the way to innovation in mainstream building and design. I mean, shouldn't every building in Oregon process rainwater? Shouldn't every building in California have PV on the roof?

There is a component that emits odors, but those portions are usually enclosed. For water I understand that since the water has to be captured on site, the uses for it will be limited to true potable needs. All other water needs such as toilet flushing, and irrigation will be taken care of with greywater. The rule of thumb with the rainwater storage tank is to size it for the driest of driest years, so that you are hopefully covered. There are always safeties in place for water and waste connections if there are any miscalculations etc. I believe those are life safety and health measures.

[MarkDaMan]

With Oregon Sustainability Center dead, Interface Engineering considers its own 'living building'
By Elliot Njus, The Oregonian
on October 22, 2012 at 5:07 PM, updated October 22, 2012 at 5:36 PM

http://www.oregonlive.com/front-porc..._river_default

With the proposed Oregon Sustainability Center apparently dead, a onetime potential partner in the project has proposed its own "living building" headquarters in Portland.

Interface Engineering, a Portland-based firm that specializes in green building design, said Monday it would seek proposals for a highly sustainable headquarters [PDF]. It wants a net-zero living building -- an ultra-efficient structure that generates more energy than it consumes.

Until this month, Mayor Sam Adams championed a similarly ultra-efficient building near Portland State University that would house city offices, non-profits and Oregon public university facilities.

Earlier this year, after the $62 million Oregon Sustainability Center lost the possibility of state funding, Interface emerged as a willing part-owner in a scaled-down project. But the firm's current lease expires in 2014, so it is looking to move into its new headquarters by September of that year.

"Our lease is up in less than two years," said Omid Nabipoor, the engineering firm's president. "We needed the project to go forward if it was going to go forward."

That timeline, given Adams' short remaining tenure in office, proved politically impossible, and Adams declared the project dead earlier this month.

Interface, however, remains interested in renovating an existing building or building a new one that meets the same efficiency goals. It's seeking proposals that meet the net-zero standards are highly preferred, but that it will also consider proposals that meet LEED Platinum certification standards.

Interface said it's open to leasing, but it's also seeking arrangements in which it would be the majority owner of the building. It currently leases 30,000 square feet in downtown Portland and says it would need room for future expansion.

Nabipoor said the company would use its headquarters as a laboratory and showroom for energy efficient systems.

"We believe we can do a sustainable building at sustainable rates. With us being in charge of the design and systems, we hope to get there," he said. "We're open to having skin in the game and equity because we believe in the project."

Nabipoor said the company is not seeking a city partnership, but its announcement noted support from the Portland Development Commission.

Interface has hired real estate firm NAI Norris, Beggs & Simpson to solicit proposals and manage the interview process.

–Elliot Njus