Green Buildings at Portland State University
Buildings consume vast quantities of water, energy and additional resources, often at great expense to students, tenants and Portland State University as a whole. In recent years, PSU has worked to curb this consumption by educating community members about ways in which they can improve the efficiency of their own practices, instituting policies that reduce consumption by campus buildings, and designing whole buildings to maximize efficiency.
Since 2004 it has been PSU's policy to follow LEED for New Construction on all new construction and major renovations on campus. Several PSU buildings serve as models of innovative sustainable design and construction. These include the new Associated Students Recreation Center (LEED Gold), Shattuck Hall (LEED Gold), Engineering Building (LEED Gold), The Broadway mixed-use housing (LEED Silver), Stephen Epler Hall (LEED Silver), and the Biology Research Greenhouses (LEED Silver). Lincoln Hall, the original PSU building in south downtown, awaits LEED Platinum certification.
Resources
Cascadia Regional Green Building Council: http://chapters.usgbc.org/cascadiagbc/
Cascadia Emerging Green Builders Group: http://chapters.usgbc.org/cascadiagbc/emerging_green_builders.html
Office of Sustainable Development, City of Portland, "G-Rated" Program: http://www.green-rated.org/
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, "Better Bricks": http://www.betterbricks.com/default.aspx
PGE's "Earth Advantage" program: http://www.earthadvantage.com/
U.S. Green Building Council, including the LEED Program ("Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design"): http://www.usgbc.org/
Environmental Design and Construction magazine, free subscription at: http://www.edcmag.com
US Department of Energy's Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development, Green Building Success Stories: http://www.sustainable.doe.gov/buildings/gbsstoc.shtm
For additional examples of Green Buildings (in the U.S. and around the world), see the "Building Energy Efficiency Research" case studies at:
http://arch.hku.hk/research/BEER/casestud.htm#USA
