The innovative Oregon Sustainability Center could cement Portland’s place as greenest city in America, but is it economically sustainable?
The planned Oregon Sustainability Center would be a trend-setting example of green technology, but the question remains whether the $75 million building would be economically sustainable.
Though planners and architects in town are generally enthused about the building, urban planning consultant Don Arambula asks a sharp question: “Is it economically sustainable?” He says innovative buildings financed with public dollars can be useful as trend-setting models for private companies, but that when it comes to the economics of sustainability, there’s a lot designers can do without breaking the bank.
High-profile architecture critic and PortlandArchitecture.com blogger Brian Libby has a similar reaction to the project: Love the innovation, but the city should consider finding a cheaper option for building a sustainability center, like renovating an existing landmark building rather than pouring funds into a new one.
Read more at the Portland Mercury.
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