Published by Green by Design under Green Building, LEED

Ladd Tower viewed from the Park

By Richard Manning

As an architect and sustainability consultant, I work on many green building projects. Unfortunately, the fast pace of design and construction projects coupled with work travel doesn’t often give me a chance to visit the finished building.

One of the newest projects we’ve worked on is the Ladd Tower in Portland, Oregon. This 23-story apartment building has an excellent location in one of my favorite parts of the city, the South Park Blocks. These small blocks, 100 x 200 feet, are the heart of Portland’s Cultural Campus. Here, you will find the Portland Art Museum, Oregon Historical Society Museum, Portland Center for the Performing Arts, Portland State University, and several historic churches. The blocks are lined with 100-year-old elm trees and offer a beautiful stretch for a noontime walk or a place to grab a bench and enjoy lunch. Every Saturday, the farmer’s market fills the area with color and activity.

Ladd Tower: Patio with green roof areas planted but not grown in yet

The Ladd Tower is seeking LEED Gold certification. Many of its green building strategies are readily apparent and add to the building’s appeal.

On the roof deck off the third-floor community room that overlooks the park, I am surrounded by a green roof planted with lush clover. This roof slows down the rate of stormwater entering the municipal storm sewer system. Given Portland’s notorious rain storms, overflows sometimes occur, and the green roof filters the water before it enters the system. In addition, the landscaped roof improves the view, and I can easily imagine walking home from work to kick back up here one day.

Leaving the roof deck, I walk down the hall to see one of the units. It strikes me that this building doesn’t have the “new car” smell that is so prevalent in some new buildings. I know this is because all the paint, adhesives and sealants in this building were carefully selected to reduce chemical off gassing. Even the carpet and plywood don’t emit Volatile Organic Compounds. Another unusual feature of the apartment building is that smoking is not allowed anywhere in the building – including the units themselves. My guide tells me that the residents appreciate this fact.

Ladd tower, corner unit

We visit one of the two-bedroom units on the 12th floor. The open-plan unit has spectacular views of the city and park blocks. Standing here, I’m beginning to think maybe it’s time to sell my house in the burbs and move here.

Green building aspects present themselves here as well. Water is an important resource for all of us, and the Ladd Tower is equipped to conserve. The units have dual flush toilets that allow a half or full flush, and all the faucets have 0.5 gallon per minute aerators. Overall, the building will reduce water use by more than 30%.

All the units have operable windows. Since there is very little heat gain on the building’s north side and the apartments are very well insulated, there is no air conditioning in the north facing units. This is just one of the strategies that reduce the building’s energy consumption. All the units all have programmable thermostats and Energy Star appliances. A central air conditioning system on the roof serves each of the units, which is much more efficient than individual systems for each unit. The building will use 29% less energy than a typical apartment building. Despite the combined system, each unit has a separate electrical meter and tenants pay for utilities. This is a key strategy to reduce the energy use. Personally, I know that if I see what it costs, I’m likely to manage energy use better.

937 Condominiums

After a quick walk through the park from the Ladd Tower, I hop on the Portland streetcar and ride over to the Pearl District to visit the 937 Condominiums project. This building is slated to receive LEED Platinum certification.

The 16-story building has a dynamic modern design that mimics nature’s fractal patterns to reflect the surrounding landscape, and it’s a very attractive addition to the city skyline.

On the ground floor of the 114-unit tower, commercial uses will serve residents and attract the public. Highly energy efficient heat pumps will bring fresh air into each home and conserve electricity. I rise to the rooftop to find landscape planters that treat stormwater and help to eliminate the heat island effect, commonly generated from building roofs in urban areas. From up here, there are great views of the city and the bridges that span across the Willamette River.

After seeing these projects, I begin to really question my suburban living. Not only are these buildings sustainably designed, they also reduce car travel, promote walkability, create community, and provide a healthier lifestyle. As our society’s population continues to grow, we will need to provide more living opportunities centered in the urban core. It’s great to see developments that respond to environmental challenges and raise the quality of life. Perhaps another tour with the whole family is in order…

Richard Manning, AIA, LEED AP, (richard@greenbuildingservices.com) is a Principal at Green Building Services, Inc., one of the most comprehensive sustainable consulting firms in the nation. Richard specializes in helping clients create environmentally responsible new construction projects in the United States and Canada.

Photos by Jon Currier Photography