PAE awarded LEED™ Gold certification
Portland, OR – PAE Consulting Engineers, Inc. has been awarded LEED-CI (Commercial Interiors) Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for renovation of their office space in the circa-1910 Director Building in downtown Portland. LEED is the USGBC’s rating system for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, most energy efficient, high performing and cost-effective buildings.
PAE’s office was previously comprised of private perimeter offices with an open central plan. The goal of their 13,000 square foot, 1 ½ floor remodel was to create an open and collaborative work environment that would achieve LEED-CI Gold certification. Employees now enjoy a completely open floor plan with large operable windows that provide natural ventilation and extensive day lighting for all.
LEED-CI Gold certification was based on PAE’s energy, lighting, water and material use as well as showcasing some unique sustainable strategies. A number of green design and construction features that positively impact both PAE’s employees and the broader community are incorporated in the renovated space. Clients and visitors to PAE learn from the space’s design and construction via two intertwined educational elements – staff-led tours and signage. Seven boards placed around the office highlight sustainable features and staff members provide tours of the office and its sustainable features to students and professionals. Among PAE’s unique sustainable solutions by LEED’s rating system are:
Indoor Environmental Quality – A diffuser system at workstations provides individual control over airflow. Exposed, clear accordion tubes carry air between ceiling ducts and a workstation spline wall. Airflow within workstations is increased or decreased from two diffusers by rotating a knob that controls small dampers.
Energy & Atmosphere – Control panels for PAE’s air quality monitoring and control system are highly visible. Located just off the lobby and outside the conference room area it is easy for staff and visitors to see their function. CO2 sensors located around the office are also easily spotted.
As an Energy Star Partner (sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency) PAE incorporates energy efficient measures through the design of mechanical, electrical, plumbing and lighting systems and through use of Energy Star equipment; including all fax machines, copiers and personal desktop printers and local occupancy sensors on plug strips.
Innovation & Design Process – PAE has purchased 100% green power for the last two years, well beyond the LEED requirement of 100% green power for one year or 50% green power for two years, to offset its carbon emissions such as car, air travel and recycling.
Lighting & power – Each workstation has an individual occupancy sensor that powers down task lights, monitors and computers when the occupant is away. In a portion of the office, overhead lights are controlled via photocells and a networked control system. Staff in those workstations can control overhead lighting via their computers.
Water savings – Hands-free faucets with solar-powered sensors charged by ambient light are used in restrooms. In the case of water use, USGBC awards one point for a 20% reduction in use and two points for a 30% reduction. PAE has shown a 40% reduction, resulting in an additional point.
Materials, resources & furniture – In addition to a wide variety of salvaged, rapidly renewable, eco-friendly, biodegradable and recycled materials and products used around the office are easily replaced carpet tiles that are certified Cradle to Cradle. All workstation and conference seating is certified Gold Cradle to Cradle* (at least 21-50% recycled materials and up to 99% recyclable). Additional stackable conference chairs are GreenGuard certified. PAE also purchases 100% recycled post-consumer paper and uses the most sustainable office supplies available.
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About PAE Consulting Engineers, Inc.
PAE is a 60-person mechanical and electrical engineering firm in downtown Portland. A leader in engineering for sustainable buildings, PAE has provided expertise for hundreds of energy-efficient buildings, nearly 40 LEED buildings and also for facilities that are carbon neutral and/or net zero energy.
About the U.S. Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit membership organization whose vision is a sustainable built environment within a generation. Its membership includes corporations, builders, universities, government agencies, and other nonprofit organizations. Since UGSBC’s founding in 1993, the Council has grown to more than 13,000 member companies and organizations, a comprehensive family of LEED® green building rating systems, an expansive educational offering, the industry’s popular Greenbuild International Conference and Expo and a network of 72 local chapters, affiliates, and organizing groups. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.
About LEED®
The LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System™ is a feature-oriented rating system that awards buildings points for satisfying specified green building criteria. The six major environmental categories of review include: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality and Innovation and Design. Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels of LEED green building certification are awarded based on the total number of points earned within each LEED category. Incentives for LEED are available at the state and local level and LEED has also been adopted nationwide by federal agencies, state and local governments, and interested private companies. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org/LEED.
