BEST Award winner, 2010 – Products and Services
BEST Award winner, 2000 (Swindells Hall) – Energy Efficiency
The renovation and expansion of Shiley Hall, the Engineering Building at the University of Portland, created 80 percent more useable space for classrooms labs, shop facilities, faculty and administrative offices, conference rooms, a study center, and UP’s data center. The building is at the LEED platinum level, incorporating many sustainable features, including: energy efficient windows, lighting, heating and cooling; reuse of materials, use of recycled materials, and sustainably harvested wood; efficient water fixtures; and sustainable stormwater management. It provides for effective use of facilities, efficient movement of people, and allows extensive daylight.
Energy conservation:
- Double glazed windows with low-e glass
- The gallery has cowls in the roof and vents near the floor to draw in cool air during warm seasons
- An energy efficient data center is in the basement of the new portion of the building
- Two bike racks were installed to encourage alternate transportation
Sustainable materials:
- Sustainably harvested wood in all cabinetry and woodwork
- 90 percent of the steel used had recycled content
- Low-VOC paints
- No products with formaldehyde were used
Water efficiency
- Dual-flush toilets and self-flushing urinals
- Low-flow faucets
Waste reduction:
- Air-blow hand driers in bathrooms reduce paper towel usage
- Recycling bins in high-traffic areas
- 95 percent of the construction waste was recycled
Stormwater management:
- A portion of the roof is a green roof that drains rainwater to a vegetated planter
- Water from a portion of the existing roof drains to a separate planter
- Six box planters allow water to percolate directly to groundwater
- Sustainable native landscaping around the existing portion of the building
Enhance or restore natural habitat:
- An acre of land on the bluff portion of the campus was set aside to be preserved forever as natural habitat
Indoor air quality:
- Classrooms have a carbon dioxide monitor to increase fresh-air flow when levels rise
- Cowls in the roof of the gallery allow fresh air to be drawn in through vents near the floor
- The tiered classrooms, computer classrooms, and computer lab have under-floor air distribution
- In shops and labs where welding and soldering take place, proper venting assures that all fumes are drawn away from inhabitants
Operations and maintenance:
- Lights in the building are programmed to turn on only when there is insufficient natural light and dim as natural light intensity increases
- Custodians use green cleaning supplies
