Start of Energy Efficiency
In 1990, the importance of energy efficiency was established with a citywide policy to increase efficiency by 10% in all sectors(2). At the time, the Energy Office led the way in developing energy-saving programs like the City Energy Challenge, that gave facility managers financial and technical resources to save energy and cost. The policy promoted and facilitated energy efficiency in residential buildings to bring them up to state energy code through such objectives like weatherizing 20,000 low-income multi-family units by 2000 and supporting a uniform home energy rating system(2). The policy also included directives on government and industrial buildings such as increasing use of daylight, providing education on energy efficiency to developers and employees and encouraging the use of life-cycle analysis(3). This was further backed by the passage of the Federal Energy Policy Act of 1992 that required specific measures to be taken in water conservation, energy efficiency, utility incentives, and energy management (3).
In 1990, the importance of energy efficiency was established with a citywide policy to increase efficiency by 10% in all sectors(2). At the time, the Energy Office led the way in developing energy-saving programs like the City Energy Challenge, that gave facility managers financial and technical resources to save energy and cost. The policy promoted and facilitated energy efficiency in residential buildings to bring them up to state energy code through such objectives like weatherizing 20,000 low-income multi-family units by 2000 and supporting a uniform home energy rating system(2). The policy also included directives on government and industrial buildings such as increasing use of daylight, providing education on energy efficiency to developers and employees and encouraging the use of life-cycle analysis(3). This was further backed by the passage of the Federal Energy Policy Act of 1992 that required specific measures to be taken in water conservation, energy efficiency, utility incentives, and energy management (3).
LEED & Green Building
LEED trademark
By 2000, the resources for improving a building’s sustainability had greatly expanded with the USGBC’s LEED rating system. As a result, Portland created and implemented a Green Building Resolution in 2001(4). The policy had 4 main objectives:
The Green Building Resolution was updated in 2005 and again in 2009 with set guidelines with the foundations now in place.
- Green building practices would be implemented through into all projects that the city has a role in. This meant all new construction and major retrofits by the city government would meet the Certified level of LEED. Interior or tenant improvements carried out by the city would also meet LEED Certified. The operations and management of city facilities would follow Portland’s Green Building guidelines.
- Portland Development Commission would adopt LEED rating system for all its current and projected program areas as well as follow the Green Building Policy.
- All bureaus of the city’s primary infrastructure will be investigated in construction, operation and maintenance to develop a ‘green’ rating system similar to LEED.
- Portland would encourage the private sector to adopt the Green Building Guidelines for its design, construction, and operations.
The Green Building Resolution was updated in 2005 and again in 2009 with set guidelines with the foundations now in place.
Objectives: New Buildings
LEED: Cerification Level Construction& Demolition Waste Water Savings Energy Savings Roof Renewable Energy Sources Existing & Leased Buildings LEED certification |
2005 (5)
Gold 75% recycled 30% beyond Energy Policy of 1992 30% beyond Oregon Structural Speciality Code Must have an ecoroof with at least 70% coverage and high reflectance and Energy-Star rated roof material on non-eco-roof surface or when an ecoroof is impractical. Applies to replacement roofs. Not Applicable Silver EB |
2009 (6)
Gold 85% recycled 30% beyond Energy Policy of 1992, no potable water used for landscape irrigation except in the first 2 years 30% beyond applicable LEED baseline requirements Must have an ecoroof with at least 70% coverage and high reflectance and Energy-Star rated roof material on non-eco-roof surface or when an ecoroof is impractical. Applies to replacement roofs. Incorporated on-site systems Silver EBOM |
Public Successes
East Portland Community Pool (8)
The policies of 2005 have been successful with 3 new important city construction projects: Portland Parks and Recreation swimming pool, Water Bureau’s Meter Shop, and University Park remodel(7). While not all the projects may not have achieve LEED Gold they are significant in their outstanding practices such as the University Park meeting the policy even though their timeline was laid out beforehand or the Water Bureau’s reduction of water usage for the meters by 50% with a recirculation system(8). By 2005, there were 13 ecoroofs installed on city buildings and by 2010 there were 200 installed (8,9). Another addition to the 2009 revision was any retrofit or removal of historic material owned by the city and listed in the National Register of Historic Places must consult with the City’s Historic Landmarks Commission for recommendations on preservation, reuse as well as updates (8). The final update and implementation of the Green Building Resolution coincided with the Climate Action Change Plan building goals. The plan places additional pressure to follow the Green Building objectives as the total energy use of buildings built before 2010 must be reduced by 25% and achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions in new buildings by 2030(9).
Other LEED projects
Burnside Rocket
Overall in Portland there are 168 certified LEED projects, only second to Chicago, which is larger in size and population. Many of the projects have achieved Platinum, the highest rating, such as the Gerding Theater, Portland International Airport Port Headquarters, PSU Lincoln Hall, Burnside Rocket, Northwest Energy Alliance Offices, and the Oregon Health & Science University Center for Health & Healing.
Green Main Streets
Symbol for Ecodistricts goals (10)
To make green building the more widespread and continuous, Portland also has been developing programs to increase sustainable development at a larger scale. In 2004, the Division Green Street/Main Street was collaboration with the community and city to improve the Southeast corridor as a main commercial thoroughfare with an emphasis on sustainable development over the next twenty years (10). The goals encompassed the needs of a shared economy, healthy environment and community (10). For the economic aspect included building at the pedestrian scale, support mixed-use development, concentrate commercial nodes into various sizes and purposes, promote local businesses, include a mix of residential zoning along the corridor similar to the present trends and backing affordable housing alternatives (10). For the improving the environmental health such objectives include reducing the amount of impervious surface, cultivate biodiversity in increasing landscaping, upgrades on the corridor follow Green Building policies, improve walking and biking access as well as bus transit (10). Almost mimicking the goals of the first two aspects for community there are plans for improving pedestrian routes as well as safety with lighting and traffic speed limits as well as facilitating the development of a strong relationship among businesses, schools, neighborhoods and agencies (10).
Shared Energy Systems
More recently, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) in 2009 joined up with the Portland Sustainability Institute (PoSI) to further efficiency in development at the neighborhood scale. By connecting multiple developments to one utility system this creates a shared district energy system(11). PoSI analyzed multiple districts. One was North Pearl, where a district cooling and heating system would be financially practical(11). Also simple technology renovations were found to provide significant reduction such as gas-fired heaters and electric chillers that can recover the waste heat can save 9,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions a year(11). While more substantial renovations like cogeneration from natural gas and bioenergy offer savings of 16,500 tons per year(11).
EcoDISTRICTS
Ecodistrict Map (13)
In the same year PoSI developed a more comprehensive plan for sustainability in neighbors called EcoDISTRICT, which has 5 overarching goals: deep neighborhood energy savings, on-site water efficiency and management, smart growth and restoration, human and ecosystem health improvement, and production of green and clean tech jobs(12). The five pilot neighborhoods for the initiative are Lloyd District, Gateway, Foster Green, South Waterfront, and South of Market (SoMa)(13). Learn more at PoSI
1. (Image) http://www.portofportland.com/Notices/HQP2_LEED_Platinum_01_BLT.htm
2. LaVonne Griffin-Valade. "Energy Policy ENN-6.01." Auditor's Office. www.portlandonline.com/auditor/index.cfm?a=36237&c=31220 (accessed February 17, 2013).
3. "Energy Policy." City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/index.cfm?&a=141405 (accessed February 16, 2013).
4. Department of Energy. "Energy Policy Act of 1992." Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy. www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/regulations/epact1992.html energy (accessed February 17, 2013).5."Exhibit A: City of Portland Green Building Policy." City of Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability . www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/211352 (accessed February 16, 2013).
6. Finn, Brendan. "Resolution 2005." City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. www.portlandoregon.gov/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=112682 (accessed February 17, 2013).
7. Kane, Alisa. "Resolution 2009." City of Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability. www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/243213 (accessed February 17, 2013).
8. "Green Building Policy Status Report 2005-2009." City of Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability . www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/242669 (accessed February 18, 2013).
9. "Green Building Implementation Guide 2010." City of Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability. www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/304948 (accessed February 22, 2013).
10. "Division Green Street/Main Street Plan." City of Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability . www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/108541 (accessed February 22, 2013).
11. "Neighborhood-Scale Development | Neighborhood-Scale Development | The City of Portland, Oregon." City of Portland, Oregon. http://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/349437 (accessed February 23, 2013).
12. Bennett, Rob. "EcoDISTRICTS Framework Concept for Metro Portland." Oregon Sustainability Center. oregonsustainabilitycenter.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/ecodistricts-framework-plan-4-09.pdf (accessed February 23, 2013).
13. "EcoDistricts." Portland Sustainability Institute. www.pdxinstitute.org/index.php/whatwedo/ecodistricts (accessed February 23, 2013).
2. LaVonne Griffin-Valade. "Energy Policy ENN-6.01." Auditor's Office. www.portlandonline.com/auditor/index.cfm?a=36237&c=31220 (accessed February 17, 2013).
3. "Energy Policy." City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/index.cfm?&a=141405 (accessed February 16, 2013).
4. Department of Energy. "Energy Policy Act of 1992." Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy. www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/regulations/epact1992.html energy (accessed February 17, 2013).5."Exhibit A: City of Portland Green Building Policy." City of Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability . www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/211352 (accessed February 16, 2013).
6. Finn, Brendan. "Resolution 2005." City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. www.portlandoregon.gov/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=112682 (accessed February 17, 2013).
7. Kane, Alisa. "Resolution 2009." City of Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability. www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/243213 (accessed February 17, 2013).
8. "Green Building Policy Status Report 2005-2009." City of Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability . www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/242669 (accessed February 18, 2013).
9. "Green Building Implementation Guide 2010." City of Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability. www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/304948 (accessed February 22, 2013).
10. "Division Green Street/Main Street Plan." City of Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability . www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/108541 (accessed February 22, 2013).
11. "Neighborhood-Scale Development | Neighborhood-Scale Development | The City of Portland, Oregon." City of Portland, Oregon. http://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/349437 (accessed February 23, 2013).
12. Bennett, Rob. "EcoDISTRICTS Framework Concept for Metro Portland." Oregon Sustainability Center. oregonsustainabilitycenter.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/ecodistricts-framework-plan-4-09.pdf (accessed February 23, 2013).
13. "EcoDistricts." Portland Sustainability Institute. www.pdxinstitute.org/index.php/whatwedo/ecodistricts (accessed February 23, 2013).
Lara Jansen