On the south side of campus, tucked away behind the Peter W. Scott Center, sit two structures that are so unique they are the first of their kind to be awarded the LEED benchmark in the United States.
Over spring break, the Portland State University Sustainability Office announced that the recently built Biology Research Greenhouses had been awarded LEED silver by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). These are the first greenhouse structures to receive this honor.
LEED stands for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and according to the U.S. Green Building Council Web site, it acts as a third-party certified program that holds the national benchmark for “…the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.”
What sets the greenhouses on campus apart from ordinary greenhouses can be found in the simple, yet effective design, said Julia Person, a student graduate assistant in the Facilities and Planning department and an advocate for increasing sustainability on campus.
While most greenhouses are built with the sole intention of absorbing energy and nutrients, the ones at PSU also act as living organisms similar to the plants within them.
The sloped roofs help direct storm water downward and out toward the edges, where collection pipes flow the run-off into plant beds. The soil then filters the water free of any chemicals, leaving only pure water to be transferred back into the city’s water system.
“It’s a new and unique structure,” Person said. “The nature of a greenhouse seems counterintuitive because it’s only taking and not giving, but these offer a more symbiotic relationship with the plants.”
The greenhouses will provide the biology department with ample space for the anticipated increased fluctuation in plant research while simultaneously helping further the proper growth and advancement of science and technology on campus, Person said.
“Hopefully, this certification will be the first in a long line of green buildings here on campus,” Person said.
With many parts of the campus under construction, Person said she is encouraged that the rest of the buildings under renovation will shift to a more environmentally conscious attitude.
“We have a lot of building renovations underway now and more approaching,” she said. “What’s great is that all those buildings will be required to at least apply for the LEED certificate.”
In order for the buildings, including Shattuck Hall and the soon-to-be under construction Lincoln Hall, to also receive the LEED certification, site location, materials and resources used–along with energy efficiency–will be heavily scrutinized.
Founded in 1993, the USGBC includes over 14,000 members. While the majority are big business, more individuals have begun to “go green,” with over 72 local chapters throughout the nation, according to the group’s Web site.