Agency Info
Meadows Group Inc., Realtors
1902 SE Morrison St.
Portland, OR 97214
What is an “Eco-District”?
Portland planning thinks beyond new green homes and buildings to the greening of existing neighborhoods
According to the Portland + Oregon Sustainability Institute (known as P+OSI) an EcoDistrict is defined as: “an integrated and resilient district or neighborhood that is resource efficient; captures, manages, and reuses a majority of energy, water, and waste on site; is home to a range of transportation options; provides a rich diversity of habitat and open space; and enhances community engagement and wellbeing”.
“Fundamentally, it’s the next generation of green building strategy,” explained Rob Bennett, executive director of the P+OSI, a nonprofit entity created this year to engage government officials, academics, developers, and builders in the formation of a series of eco-district pilots. “We are taking what we’ve learned from green building and applying it at a neighborhood scale.”
The city and Multnomah County recently approved an enhanced Climate Action Plan, which includes eco-districts in its goals, with implementation planned for 2012. Several options are currently being evaluated, but its still in the early stages.
Portland State University is planning to add lodging for 2000 more students over the next 10 years, so including shared heating systems, waste treatment and shared transportation into their plans along with other attributes of green building fits right into the schools existing sustainability goals. A 12-block area is currently being explored as an eco-district.
The Portland Trailblazers have indicated they would like an eco-district around the Rose Quarter, and Lentz, Gateway, and the area around OMSI are all being considered as possibilities. Portland isn’t the only place planning the greening of neighborhoods… Seattle calls their areas in consideration “climate benefit districts” where they plan to integrate energy and transportation solutions to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. China’s “eco-block” is being used in the city of Qingdao as a prototype for future energy and emission-reducing opportunities.
People love to live in green neighborhoods, so I’ll be looking forward to watching the implementations in Portland over the coming years. For more information, visit the city of Portland.
Ambitious Green Goals for Portland
Climate Action Plan calls for changes by 2050
The Portland City Council and the Multnomah County Commissioners voted last week to approve provisions of the Climate Action Plan, an ambitious set of goals with a target date of 2050 to reduce carbon emissions by 80% of what they were in 1990.
The plan relies on business, government and residents to make the changes necessary to make that happen. The leaders hope to draw the right new businesses to accomplish the goals, bringing green jobs and continuing Portland’s quest to be the most sustainable city.
The news that our population is probably going to double by then, illustrates the need for more mass transit projects like light rail and street cars, more bike lanes, and increased recycling and waste management. The plan also encourages the planting of more trees and preservation of wetlands and other natural areas. Encouraging us to “buy local” is also included in the goals.
The good news is that Portland’s carbon emissions were 19% below what they were per person in 1990. However if you count the increased population, its actually an increase of 1%, according to Mark Larabee of the Oregonian. That compares to a 14% increase nationally since 1990. During the same period, our recycling rate has tripled and bus ridership has doubled according to official data.
The county commissioners adopted a resolution Wednesday directing city bureaus to promote the plan’s initiatives, including a tax credit for businesses that install eco-roofs and solar panels and carbon-reduction goals in growth and transportation planning.
Falling into line with other Portland goals for planning, there is a goal to achieve zero-net greenhouse gas emissions in all new buildings and homes, produce 10% of the county’s energy from onsite renewable sources and develop neighborhoods so 90% of our county live in walkable or bikable communities, such as eco-districts already in the planning.
According to Commissioner Jeff Cogen, the city and county have “come up with something we can be really proud of.”
So what is expected from us as residents? Considering we’re apparently responsible for at least 50% of carbon emissions, we will need to start making changes and learning how to do things differently. Small homes and all the energy-savings and efficiencies they bring is one way…. and Climate-Friendly Actions At Home and Business shows many more ways that we can live and work smarter and greener.
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