• Images courtesy of Lara Swimmer.

PAE Living Building

Portland, OR

Business Type

Corporate headquarters and retail

Size

58,000 square feet

The building embodies PAE's vision to help solve the planet’s energy and water challenges. Set to be the world’s first developer-driven Living Building, the five-story, mixed-use building will demonstrate replicable and cost-effective solutions for sustainable design removing barriers to entry for highly sustainable projects while revitalizing the community. For in-depth information on the PAE Living Building, click here.

Sustainability

Certifications

  • Pursuing Architecture 2030
  • Pursuing Net-Zero Water
  • Pursuing Living Building
  • Pursuing Net-Zero Energy

Progress Report

Set to achieve the city's 2050 renewable energy targets 30 years ahead of schedule

Walk score of 99 out of 100

19.5 EUI compared to 41.5 EUI typical energy use by a Portland office building built to code, which is 73% better than a typical existing building and 81% better than Architecture 2030 targets

105% of the energy use provided by onsite and offsite renewable energy

100% of building’s water needs are collected and treated onsite

70% of the building's perimeter spaces can be ventilated or cooled with operable windows

80% energy savings over a typical existing office building before solar harvesting

71,000 gallon cistern

Special features

  • Designed to last 500+ years
  • First developer-led commercial Living Building proves business case and creates pathway for others
  • Daylight, views, operable windows, and other biophilic strategies support occupant health, comfort, and productivity
  • Sustainable and healthy building materials include Pacific Northwest-sourced cross-laminated timber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
  • First-of-its-kind multistory vacuum-flush compostable toilets reduce water use and transform waste into a rich nutrient source
  • Through onsite and dedicated offsite solar, the project is a net energy producer
  • Cost-neutral seismic upgrades allow structure to be designed to withstand Category IV, same as hospitals and fire stations

Media Coverage

Metropolis: 5 Buildings that Pushed Sustainable Design

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Metropolis: The PAE Living Building Rises in Portland, Oregon

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ENR: ENR Northwest Announces 2022 Best Projects Winners

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Smart Buildings Magazine: Inside the smart building of the year

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Propmodo: Sustainable, Mass Timber Office Buildings Are Starting to Pencil Out

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Architect Magazine: Beyond the Surface: When Art and Architecture Unite

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US Glass Magazine: Oregon’s First ‘Living Building’ Features Photovoltaic Technology, Large Operable Windows

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The Oregonian: Engineering firm says its new downtown headquarters is Portland’s first ‘Living Building'

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The Hill: High-tech wooden cities could fight fire, climate change, study says

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ENR: ENR Northwest Announces 2022 Best Projects Winners

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The Oregonian: 2022 Restore Oregon preservation awards spotlight historic buildings revitalizing neighborhoods

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K103 Mornings with Stacey & Mike: The New 100% Sustainable Building in Downtown Portland

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Dezeen: Mass-timber office in Portland is world's largest commercial Living Building

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KOIN 6 TV: Portland home to ‘completely sustainable’ building, company says

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Portland Business Journal: Why Portland needs a Living Building

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Building Design and Construction: World’s largest commercial Living Building opens in Portland, Ore.

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KGW: 'Living building' opens in Portland's Old Town neighborhood

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Fast Company: This Office Building was Designed to Last 500 Years

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Surface Mag: ZGF Architects completes the world’s largest living commercial building in Portland.

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The Architect's Newspaper: ZGF debuts world's largest commercial Living Building in Portland

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Portland Business Tribune: Workers' return to offices lifts Portland's central business district market

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Portland Business Tribune: PAE Living Building: From cast iron to composters

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Bloomberg CityLab: It's Time for a Net Zero Building Boom

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Mirai Kotohajime: Architecture and the future of cities in Portland: What is the world's highest level of sustainable architecture certification

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ENR: PAE Living Building Team Perseveres Through Pandemic and Unwelcome Outside Forces

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ENR: Portland's PAE Living Office Building Designed For Hospital-Level Quake Performance

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New York Times: Going ‘Deep Green,’ Office Buildings Give Back to the Planet

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DJC Oregon: The PAE Living Building: lessons learned

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DJC Oregon: Systems within a highly efficient structure

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DJC Oregon: Problem elicits a ‘best-case solution’

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Business Tribune: Living Building may revitalize quiet corner of downtown

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DJC Oregon: Potential living building coming to life

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Building Design + Construction: This will be the largest Living Building in the world

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The Architect's Newspaper: Work is underway on the world’s largest commercial Living Building in Portland

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DJC Oregon: Project team blazing a trail

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DJC Oregon: Creating the world's largest living building

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DJC Oregon: Living building proposal moves forward

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DJC Oregon: Proposal for living building in Old Town draws praise

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Blog Coverage

PAE Living Building breaks ground

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Sustainable Building Week

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