A Portland building is certified as one of most sustainable buildings in world

Think Out Loud

Last month, a 5-story commercial building in Portland’s Old Town historic district was awarded one of the most rigorous sustainability certifications in the world, given by the Portland-based International Living Futures Institute. There are only three dozen certified Living Buildings in the world, and the Portland building is the first commercial one to achieve it. Living Buildings must meet a range of strict requirements, from the design to operation. That includes using renewables like solar power to generate at least 5% more energy than is needed and harvesting rainwater to supply all the water for drinking and other uses.

The PAE Living Building at SW Pine and 1st Ave. not only met these standards but went one step further by being engineered to last at least 500 years to withstand a massive Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. Kathy Berg is an architect and partner at ZGF Architects and the project lead. Paul Schwer is the president emeritus of PAE, an engineering firm that co-owns, along with ZGF Architects, the PAE Living Building and is headquartered inside it. They join us to talk about their collaboration on the space, and why they hope it could be a model for commercial developments elsewhere.