I just received a tip on this modern, LEED for Homes-built home being built and sold in Portland, Oregon.  It looks like a great design for a tough, slanted site.  Located at 9130 SW 7th, this 1,982 sf home has a cool, two-story, up-down feel that’s common in townhouses, without the hassle and noise of a party wall (technically, it’s in the garage).  Nice.  I’m just going to roll through some of the green features, just to get a general idea of how green it is:  reclaimed Oregon Myrtle wood floors on second level, durable standing seem metal roofing, IceStone countertops, radiant heating system with solar hot water assist, whole house heat-recovery ventilation and air filtration, occupancy sensors for efficient lighting, rainwater catchment system, photovoltaic solar electric system, formaldehyde-free cabinets, and radiant concrete first floor, etc. 

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This is going to be a cool development when it’s complete.  Slated to be the #1 highest scoring LEED building in the world by a fair margin (meaning: Platinum Certification at 64-66 points), Independence Station is 35% complete and should beat Oregon’s strict energy code by about 74%.  Steven Ribeiro, developer and principal at Aldeia Development, energetically remarks on his project: "This retro-futuristic, mixed-use building will run on 100% renewable energy, primarily vegetable oil and the sun."  Sounds good to me. 

Here’s a list of some of the green features planned for Independence Station:

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I really hate to do this, but I’m giving away a new, autographed copy of a book that I really like.  You know the drill:  leave a comment, and after 48 hours, I’ll pick a winner based on the number of your comment.*  This book is particularly hard to let go, because I keep referring back to it for different pieces of information.  It’s called The Green Building Revolution by Jerry Yudelson.  Yudelson is a serious expert in the industry and maintains an information-rich website at www.greenbuildconsult.com — plug it into the feed, you’ll be happy you did.  The book itself is loaded up with information, but it’s not a chore to read.  It’s accessible on the one hand and super thorough on the other.  Seems hard to do, but Yudelson finds a way to deliver the straight facts without leaving you lost.  Particularly, I was engrossed by three chapters:  the business case for green buildings, the costs of green buildings, and the future of green buildings.  He delivers a compelling case for green buildings and our future, and it’s not just about the money. 

*Open commenting ends at the end of the day on Saturday, midnight MST.  Say anything you want, but if you’re shy or don’t know what to say, tell us where you’re from.  Ex: Salt Lake City, Utah in the green house.  Offer only available in the U.S. for shipping reasons.  Shipping is on me.  I will email you for a mailing address and after shipping it, the winner will be announced in the comments.   

Steve Duncan and Leslie Avery, designers and owners of 3rdEmpire Design, are proud to have registered the first LEED project in Newfoundland & Labrador-Canada.  With the e3 Home, they’re aiming for Gold Certification and plan on completion in September 2008.  Duncan and Avery say the home presents a unique challenge due to having to conform to local Heritage Area guidelines (because of its location in downtown St. Johns).

From the renderings, you’ll notice the second empire style architecture, which 3rdEmpire Design went with to complement the neighborhood.  The inside of the 3000 sf home will incorporate modern and innovative materials/technology, wherever possible, and will feature a more open design.  Proposed features include pervious hardscaping and landscaping, recycled construction waste, bamboo and cork flooring, thermostatically controlled radiant flooring, low E glass, low VOC paint, upgraded insulation, CFL and LED lighting, dual flush toilets and low flow faucets, FSC timber, use of natural ventilation and lighting.

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Sometimes I wonder what kind of miracle it took to bring a deal like this to fruition.  You have this abandoned, 40-year old warehouse with contamination, structural, and code issues.  Nobody wants it.  And it’s probably much easier to go somewhere else and just do what everyone else does.  You rent space or build a new building.  But Jeff Reaves, president of Group MacKenzie, and Jay Haladay, owner of Coaxis, saw major potential in this dilapidated structure now known as RiverEast Center.  They decided to buy the property and wanted to convert it to office space for each of their growing company’s headquarters.  The result?

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