City ties economy to green leadership

Sustainable Life • Public-private institute will aim to create jobs in sustainability market

By Jim Redden

The Portland Tribune, Nov 13, 2008 (6 Reader comments)

JONATHAN HOUSE / TRIBUNE PHOTO

Employees of Green Building Services and Walsh Construction review sustainable redeveloped work at Mercy Corps headquarters.

Portland’s City Council has approved spending thousands of dollars to market the city as the American hotbed of sustainable development – and to promote local businesses specializing in “green technology.”

Mayor-elect Sam Adams said that touting Portland’s sustainable achievements is important because other cities now are trying to market themselves as the greenest city in the country, including Chicago.

“We’ve got to make sure that no one overtakes us,” Adams said.

Several local business already are benefiting from the green economy. One is Green Building Services, a consulting firm that helps buildings qualify for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification from the U.S. Green Building Council – an internationally recognized designation of sustainable design, construction and maintenance.

“It’s a little surprising how fast we’ve grown,” company President Jay Coalson said. “Three years ago we had 15 people. Today we’re at 62.”

To help capitalize on this trend, Adams and Commissioner Dan Saltzman are working to create the Portland + Oregon Sustainability Institute, a private-public partnership that will collect and share information on environmentally friendly development techniques pioneered and practiced by area companies.

Much of the institute still is in the conceptual stage. The idea is to bring different parties pursuing sustainable development together under one roof, including government officials, academics, business owners and nonprofit organizations. Participants agree it should have its own board of directors and should not be a government agency, but the exact structure and budget is undecided.

Once those decisions are made, the city is expected to provide much of the start-up capital for the institute. Some of the funds could come from the Portland Development Commission, which has identified sustainable businesses as one of four industry clusters to support. Other funding could come from the city Office of Sustainable Development, which Saltzman oversees.

PDX Lounge makes rounds

In the meantime, the PDC and the Office of Sustainable Development will help an existing green-tech promotional effort open a permanent display area.

It is the PDX Lounge, a public-private partnership created by the Office of Sustainable Development several years ago to promote local sustainability-oriented businesses at trade shows.

The project is supported by more than 30 local businesses, including manufacturers of sustainable wood products and architectural firms following green building practices.

As the name implies, it has taken the form of a moveable lounge constructed from recycled materials and serving locally produced food and beverages. It was last used in September at the West Coast Green Conference in San Jose, Calif., where hundreds of sustainable industrial professionals were able to learn about Portland while enjoying Oregon beer and wine.

Now the PDX Lounge is scheduled to move into the Leftbank, a historic building complex being renovated at 240 N. Broadway. The PDC and the sustainable development office each have set aside approximately $40,000 to help pay the rent. The private partners are expected to cover the rest of the costs – and also donate design services and construction materials.

“Opening the PDX Lounge in the Leftbank will create a space for showcasing our initiatives and activities in the field of sustainable development,” said Tom Osdoba, OSD’s former manager for sustainable economic development, who now works for the city as a consultant on energy issues.

According to Osdoba, the $80,000 in city funds is approximately enough to pay for one year’s rent in the building. The private partners are expected to pay other costs and donate construction materials and expertise.

Osdoba said the idea for the institute grew out of a March meeting between PDX Lounge partners and other sustainability-oriented businesses around the state.

Approximately 65 of them signed a “commitment statement” in June to work together to create it. Details are being finalized by a working group that includes representatives of city agencies, academic institutions, environmental advocacy groups, business organizations and individual companies.

“It can provide a window to the world about all the great work we’re doing on sustainability. We can sell Portland and create a place for people in Oregon to learn about what we’re doing,” said Duncan Wyse, president of the Oregon Business Council, who serves on the group.

Green companies make strides

Although no government agency is tracking the overall growth of sustainable businesses, industry publications say it is huge.

For example, a report released last year by the American Solar Energy Society estimated that renewable energy and energy-efficiency industries now generate around 8.5 million jobs and nearly $1 trillion in revenue.

The report, “Economic Drivers for the 21st Century,” estimated that the impact could grow to 40 million U.S. jobs and generate $4.5 trillion in revenue by 2030.

Such predictions help explain why governments across the country are trying to get in on the action.

In Oregon, the charge is being led by Gov. Ted Kulongoski. He will ask the 2009 Oregon Legislature to approve new incentives and expand existing ones to fight climate change and create more green jobs in the state.

The concept of the institute is strongly supported by representatives of several Portland business leaders who already are working on sustainable projects around the world.

They include Coalson, whose company recently helped its 100th building win LEED certification. Currently, it is consulting on the renovation of the Mercy Corps headquarters in Old Town. The company also is working with the U.S. Department of Energy on creating work opportunities with the provincial governments in China.

“The city can help create opportunities outside Portland for businesses working in the field,” Coalson said. “It can be a neutral facilitator to create opportunities for us.”

Local firm branches out

Another local company that has benefited from its sustainability work is WRG Design Inc., a multidisciplinary development consulting firm that began in 1991. According to project planner Trina Whitman, the company has increased its expertise in sustainability technologies over the years in response to client interest and regulatory requirements.

“Basically, we had to figure much of it out for ourselves,” Whitman said. “When you’re part of a new market, you just go out and do it.”

The expertise recently helped lead to the merger of WRG and Cardno Ltd., one of the largest civil engineering consulting firms in the world.

As a result, some WGR employees are working in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, to ensure that its new developments – including luxury hotels and resorts – meet the highest environmental standards.

Whitman said the international work is especially important for the company because so many other development projects are on hold now because of the economy.

During his successful campaign for mayor, Adams talked about the institute as one of several “centers of excellence” designed to boost the local economy. The others include one focused on design, one on manufacturing and one on regional marketing and export. Adams said these centers would be part of aggressive marketing campaigns to create more local jobs.

jimredden@portlandtribune.com