Now, pervious concrete walkways, permeable pavers in the driveway and crushed rock all allow water to percolate naturally. Food plants mingle with natives, while a hanging basket insectary attracts beneficial insects and provides integrated pest management rather than chemical pest control. Salvaged and recycled elements also dot the landscaping in whimsical artistic ways, such as an artful pathway that leads to a constructed rock channel through the terraced garden. In turn, this garden is irrigated by rooftop runoff stored in a 900-gallon cistern, and two modular vegetated roofs cover 364 square feet, two strategies that slow and treat runoff into the sea.

Efficiency and IAQ

Living in the Pacific Northwest also required rethinking the heating and cooling systems. The Porters decided on a geothermal system that pulls heat from the earth into an efficient radiant floor-heating system, eliminating the use of fossil fuels and keeping pollutants from entering the Sound. To achieve this, they used sonic drilling technology to place two 300-foot vertical wells with sealed circulating loops that distribute the nearly constant ground temperature into the home. Meanwhile, a heat-recovery ventilator transfers waste heat to the fresh air while expelling stale air.

The sites very design encourages passive heating and cooling as well. High-efficiency windows facilitate daylighting but are shaded to protect from overexposure to the sun. An advanced framing system allowed studs to be spaced farther apart to accommodate more and thicker insulation. And a 1.2 kW photovoltaic system produces active power that is net-metered so energy is supplied to the local utility, effectively spinning the Porters meter backwards.

To promote a healthy indoor environment, the Porters chose non-toxic, low-VOC and no-formaldehyde products whenever possible for their paints, wood finishes and insulation. They bolstered the air quality via an efficient ventilation system and the total absence of carpet, which catches and holds allergens and pollutants. Responsible water use was also addressed, as the Porters installed such water-conservation tools as dual-flush toilets, water-saving fixtures and appliances, and a tankless water-heating system. And conservation and responsible resource use, two tenets of sustainable living, were reinforced through the use of recycled glass tile, long-life siding and metal roof, FSC-certified wood products and cork flooring produced from leftover materials from wine-cork production.

For the Future

The one element left intact during this going green process was the bulkhead, a mainstay of thousands of homes along the Sound. Bulkheads are generally not considered friendly to the natural sea habitat, and the Porters considered removing theirs, even though most sites include them to defend coastal land and home sites from erosion. But removing only one bulkhead among hundreds of thousands lining the shore would destabilize the site and effect little change to the overall shoreline. Instead, the Porters view this as a potential future project in which all the neighbors are mobilized into action to re-create a more naturalized shoreline.

This goal actually seems somewhat realistic, considering the projects reception. The couples enthusiasm spilled over into a huge, supportive community of team members, sponsors, and neighbors. The projects heavily trafficked website has been devoted to telling their stories and sharing their observations, and even the couples salvaged dog, Skipper, donned a hardhat and carpenters belt to become the online spokesdog. By making the project fun and proving that building green offers many possibilities for imposing less harm than conventional building, the Porters home could effect change well beyond the Washington coast. Washington may be the Evergreen State, but the green-building example set by the Porters provides applicable lessons for homeowners  and homebuilders  nationwide.

To read about the Porters journey towards a greener lifestyle, visit the extensive website at www.goinggreenatthebeach.com.

Otak Inc., a Lake Oswego architecture and engineering company, and Belbadi Enterprises, a developer based in the United Arab Emirates, were picked last week to build a $435 million hotel complex in Abu Dhabi.

The Al Bateen Wharf Hotel, with a 400-room tower, marina and restaurants, is scheduled to open in 2009. It will include energy-efficient solar screens, glass with integrated solar cells, a transparent sail-like veil that will cover the building at night, and an eco-roof over the retail shops.

Otak has had an office in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates and one of the world's wealthiest cities, since 2006 and has about 60 employees there. Otak and Belbadi worked together on the Vancouvercenter, a large residential development in Vancouver.

We spoke with Nawzad Othman, the co-founder, president and chief executive of Otak. Here are his answers, edited for clarity and brevity:

Does basing your company in Portland rather than, say, New York, London or Los Angeles hurt you in attracting international business?

Portland has the reputation, not only nationally also internationally, for really doing a lot of the right things in planning and design and livability and quality of life. So it helps.

The United Arab Emirates is fabulously wealthy. How does that money affect your design?

They really have a vision of redefining their future and creating a world-class city. They are not hesitant to use their wealth to attract the best talent globally. So it's not unusual to see companies from all over the U.S., all over Europe, all over Asia. They really do want the best of the best, and they can afford to pay for it.

How important was green design in getting this job?

Green design was just a piece of it. The overall design is what really impressed them. They liked the whole approach we took to the project, in partnership and with the direction of the developer, the Belbadi group. They liked how the buildings fit, how it all looked, how we connected the outside and the inside. The green part of it was really attractive to them.

In May 2004, you opened satellite offices in Baghdad and Erbil, Iraq. How have those offices fared?

We deliberately have done nothing. Though we came to help, we stopped deliberately. We don't want to put anybody at risk. Hopefully in the future we can be of help, but until the conditions are correct for us we will not do anything. We are all hoping that things stabilize in the long run, for Iraq, for our troops to come home, and for the Iraqis to manage their own country.

What was it that first brought you to Portland?

Its reputation for two things: for beginning to do good planning, and for a good climate. When I came here in 1977, 30 years ago, Portland and the state and (then-Gov.) Tom McCall were really beginning to talk rigorously about land-use planning, something nobody else in the country was doing. I heard about it just because I was studying planning. People knew what was going on in Oregon. And going from 50 below zero (in Minnesota) to 50 above zero in the winter was a great attracter.

Dubai: The Al Bateen district of Abu Dhabi, the oldest occupied area of the UAE capital city, is to be redeveloped at a cost of Dh1.6 billion ($435 million) to include a signature waterfront destination with a luxury five-star hotel complex.

The 54,000 square metre site will be known as the Al Bateen Wharf and will include a San Francisco-style Fishermen's Marina and the Al Bateen Wharf Hotel.

The 400-room hotel will also have a serviced residential wing with 200 apartments. It will be developed by the UAE's multi-disciplined Belbadi Enterprises in partnership with Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), the project's master developer and the company which manages and develops the tourism assets of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA).

"This project signals the rejuvenation of Al Bateen with the development characterised by sensitivity to the long-standing fishing and boat-building traditions of the area," said Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, ADTA and TDIC chairman.

"We have also taken into account public access to the new wharf maintaining the heritage of Al Bateen as a prime waterfront destination for all."

The dry-stack facility will have a maximum capacity for 200 boats. Hydraulic lifts are provided for each of the racing dhow berths in order to lift the boats out of the water after each race.

The US's Otak architectural practice has been appointed lead architect.

Work on the redevelopment is due to begin before the end of this year with completion scheduled for end of 2009.

Some projects may face a redesign in order to fall in line with new green building standards set to be enforced in January.

Under the instruction of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE vice president and ruler of Dubai, all buildings in the emirate will have to be constructed according to international green building principles.

According to Mohammed Ali, design department, Dubai Municipality, the main focus will be on the efficient use of energy and the type of materials used in construction.

"All designs won't have to go back to the drawing board, but some may. We have been working on these regulations for a while now," he said.

"The use of solar power will be a big point, while the type of materials used in buildings will be specified, such as using recycled plastic when possible. The use of wood is also going to be discouraged."

The regulations will be implemented in phases, with separate laws for buildings that have already been built, those that are under construction or those that are in the design stage.

"The phases will look at private developments, new and existing developments, government buildings and the urban fabric," said a committee member working on the legislation, who wished to remain unnamed.

"The legislation will provide for buildings that have already been designed, and will depend on how much of an impact it will have in terms of redesign."

But with only two months left for the industry to align itself with the new standards, it could fall short of time, as well as have difficulty implementing the laws.

"It is unlikely that all buildings will be green by 1 January 2008, however those that have not started construction may be subject to some changes," said Colin Hill, technical director of engineering and design consultancy firm, Otak.

"The extent of those changes will depend on a number of issues, including how much of the building has been sold, how long it would take to implement changes and the effect on the construction schedule. Each case will need to be reviewed on its own merit."

But some in the industry don't think the changes would affect them too much as the shift towards green building has been in the pipeline for a while.

"I think most contractors are already aware of the imminent changes and know what they have to do and how to do it," said Philippe Dessoy, general manager, Besix.

The coastal city of Warrenton, Ore., was at a crossroads in the mid-1990s.

Population growth and an overloaded sewer system had overwhelmed the city's 45-year-old, 25-acre facultative lagoon system, leading to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit violationsjust when the city of 4400 residents was placing additional emphasis on conserving and protecting the environment.

In 2004, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) announced it would not approve any sanitary sewer line extensions until the city came into compliance with current NPDES discharge requirements. This essentially halted the city's growth by keeping sewer lines from being built for new subdivisions as well as new industry.

A happy medium had to be found.

The solution: Warrenton signed a mutual agreement and order with the DEQ outlining the schedule and steps it would take to study, plan, design, and construct a new wastewater treatment plant that includes three sequencing batch reactor (SBR) basins and 1 mile of outfall pipe into the Columbia River.

With these additions, the public works department can prepare for anticipated residential and commercial population growth of 60% over the next 20 years while keeping the environment at the forefront of the city's social and economic awareness.

Warrenton officials selected local engineering firm HLB Otak Inc. to complete its plant improvements. When the city and DEQ established the need for a new plant, HLB Otak turned to other design professionals to join the team. Ledby the city of Warrenton, the team consisted of H.R. Esvelt Engineering as design engineer, Richard Sample Engineering for electrical design, Structural Research Co. for structural design, and HLB Otak for site civil engineeringand general oversight-construction management.

In February 2005, the city and DEQ began the final plan review for the new plant. Funding for the $7.9 million project came from the Oregon Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which is supported by annual grants from theEPA. The plans for the treatment plant consisted of three concrete-lined SBR basins; new site piping; influent force mains; and an influent, effluent, and operations building.

Warrenton officials opted for an environmentally and economically prudent activated sludge process and UV light disinfection system that uses no chemicals, produces no toxic residuals, and has no adverse impact on the environment, the Columbia River, or the multiple fish and marine species nearby.

Plant plans included a unique feature that enables operators to reach out to the public and teach the importance of caring for the environment: a 200-gallon aquarium that is continually filled with treated effluent. This aquarium, home to indigenous wildlife such as bass, blue gill, freshwater clams, and a Red Eared Slider turtle, provides a tangible display for the public to learn about the importance of caring for the symbiotic environment.

Construction started in late 2005. Five months in, a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) company was hired to install the new outfall by boring 80 feet below the Columbia River bottom and horizontally drilling and pushing 4407 linearfeet of pipe from the plant site to the Columbia River.

Design engineer firm Cosmopolitan Engineering Group handled this separate contract. Normally, HDD involves creating a bore hole and pulling pipe to anexit hole. However, The HDD Co. Inc., Orangevale, Calif., proposed two changes: forward-drilling the 18-inch bore hole from the land side to under the surface of the Columbia River shipping channel, then pushing a steel pipe with a treated Permalock coating. Once reaching the exit hole, divers wouldbe shuttled by barge to install the 40-foot diffuser. This process created the treatment plant outfall.

These innovative construction methods served two purposes. First, pushing rather than pulling the pipe enabled the crew to complete most of the installation from land, thus avoiding interrupting the crucial shipping lanes in theColumbia River. Second, this strategy helped mitigate the effects of the harsh winter weather and water currents, which would make handling the pipe extremely challenging in light of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Department-enforced in-water work period, which limits construction in the river to four months: Nov. 1 to Feb. 28.

Warrenton's previous facultative lagoon system had two 12-acre cells in series. In this method, algae populates the top layer of the water column, using sunlight and producing oxygen. Aerobic bacteria grows in between, and anaerobic bacteria populates the bottom layer to treat the wastewater of organics and nutrients. The wastewater, moved by gravity, then heads through a chlorine contact chamber where it's disinfected with chlorine gas before beingdischarged into a constructed drainage ditch; it then flows into the Columbia River during low tides.

In the new process, the influent building receives incoming wastewater, which is screened and subsequently treated by a grit removal system before being dispersed into one of the three basins. The activated sludge technology uses microorganisms (bacteria) present in the reactors of the SBR basins. Treatment consists of filling, reacting, settling, and decanting. Nitrification and denitrification can occur with alternating aeration and mixing regimens.

Within the SBR, the blowers aerate the wastewater through a diffused aeration system, starting the bacteria's aerobic reaction. These bacteria are retained to maintain sufficient quantities. When the aeration process ceases (i.e., theblowers stop), the biomass settles and a decanter removes treated effluent from the top while the bacteria settle to the bottom. Sludge is then pumped to one of two digesters.

The decanted effluent flows to the final process and undergoes UV disinfection. This type of disinfection is user-friendly for operators and prevents the spread of waterborne diseases to downstream users, leaving the environmentfree of any residual effect that can be harmful to humans or aquatic life. Once the effluent is treated through the UV process, it is ready to be discharged through an outfall pipe to the Columbia River.

The plant began operations June 2006 (though not fully operational until January 2007) and in less than a year, city manager Ed Madere received test results for the plant's first batches of effluent. Initial laboratory test samplesyielded ?4 parts per million (ppm) biochemical oxygen demand test results, ?2 ppm total suspended solids, ?0.1 ppm nitrogen as ammonia, and ?2 fecal coliform. The treated water is also cooler than the ColumbiaRiver, translating into cleaner, safer water than the river itself.

In addition, the project had less than 3% in change orders and came in on schedule and under budget on construction-management costs.

The advantages of the new wastewater treatment plant include greater flexibility, improved operational reliability, lower investment and recurrent cost, energy savings, and a smaller plant footprint. Warrenton's facility alsonow has the capability to treat 2.3 mgd with a peak instantaneous flow of 4.7 mgd, depending on how the plant is being operated.

Equally important, the new plant illustrates the balance that this coastal community has found between accommodating growth, ensuring the vitality of the environment, and promoting the viability of the local economy. These factors, combined with the site's scalability to four basins if the growth rate requires it, have positioned Warrenton to meet both today's desires and tomorrow's demands.

Reducing site impacts a top goal for designers of the $33M project

Cascadia Community College in Bothell is one of the first colleges to commit to the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment to neutrality.

This journey began with the college's wholesale adoption of carbon-neutral strategies, from composting food scraps in worm bins and using green cleaning products to using a hybrid fleet car and subsidizing bus passes. The next logical step, however, was to design a green building that met the college"s goals for stewardship of the land.

The $32.6 million Center for Global Learning and the Arts will do just that. Scheduled for occupancy in the fall of 2009, the building will be soon certified as the first LEED green building on campus. Its design and construction has relied on one dozen professionals from all sectors of the college, as well as at least one dozen members on the design team alone. This collaboration will reap immediate and long-term benefits.

"The global learning center provides an opportunity to keep improving on the colleges existing environmental goals, says Dee Sliney, director of capital projects and auxiliary services at CCC. After certifying to LEED for New Construction, we hope to also certify our existing buildings under LEED for Existing Buildings, which helps monitor and ensure the ongoing operations and maintenance of a green building.

Defining goals

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a rating program that provides a yardstick of sorts for measuring sustainable qualities of a green building.

The state of Washington has mandated that all capital projects achieve a LEED silver designation, the second level of a four-tier system. With the collaboration of all involved parties at CCC, though, both Sliney and architect Margaret Sprug believe this building might even achieve LEED gold status.

During the initial stages of design, the projects green consultant, OBrien & Co., brought the entire team together to brainstorm ideas for the environmental goals of the building.

The green building process works best as a team, says Elizabeth Powers, a principal with OBrien & Co.

Otak principal and site civil engineer Nico Vanderhorst agrees. In a multi-building environment such as a college, healthy site functions are essential to the ongoing site maintenance for stormwater runoff, irrigation and landscaping. It was helpful for us to be in the same room with the building designers discussing how the runoff from the roof and hard surfaces impacts water on the landscape, for example.

Margaret Sprug, an associate at the Miller/Hull Partnership, says the project has seen a lot of give and take as the team seeks to provide the most functional building with the least impact. We hoped initially that we could install a geothermal heating and cooling system for the building. However, the better solution ultimately was to use the schools existing central physical plant, which will save the college money but still provide heat to the building efficiently.

Treating runoff

One of the biggest challenges posed by any building to a site is how it sheds rainwater: where it goes, how its channeled, how to treat it, and how to prevent it from entering the building at ground level.

Before any construction begins, a plan is created to ensure all development and construction follows stringent guidelines to prevent erosion and pollution during construction and beyond.

The Center for Global Learning and the Arts treats rainwater in several ways: through a 500-square-foot vegetated roof that captures water before it gets to the site, through a storage system that collects rainwater and reuses it to irrigate landscaping, and through the natural filtration processes in an adjacent wetland.

This 58-acre restored wetland, which serves the shared campuses of CCC and the University of Washington Bothell, will receive water directly from the new global learning center, which will release clean rooftop rainwater and groundwater directly into the wetlands.

This water will then flow into the recently restored North Creek and be transported to the Sammamish River, about 500 feet downstream. The runoff will infiltrate and recharge the wetland and any excess water will flow across the wetland vegetation before entering North Creek, thus protecting the existing stream channels from excessive erosion.

Runoff is also treated by a system of four treatment trains that provide water-quality treatment of runoff from all over campus, including roadways and parking lots. Each treatment train includes a mechanical oil-water separator to remove oils, a settling vault to remove sediment, and a biofiltration swale to provide final filtration. These systems are part of the overall plan for eliminating pollutants from the campus site, but another green method may garner more attention.

Clearing weeds

CCC has been pesticide-free since July 2006. As part of its LEED submission, the project will seek an innovation credit for an integrated pest-management strategy that, according to Powers, carries the green ideas of the building forward in healthy, long-term maintenance of the grounds.

To remove dozens of blackberries choking the site without using herbicides, the college hired 60 goats from Rent-A-Ruminant. This non-polluting, almost zero-emissions decision eliminated an invasive plant species in just a few days and it was so successful that the college will try a larger herd of goats from Healing Hooves to clear a more extensive, vegetated site on campus, adjacent to the Center for Global Learning and the Arts.

Planting the campus

Miller/Hulls design for the global learning center focused on saving trees, and the school hired an arborist to identify healthy trees and their locations.

Unfortunately, one of the large heritage trees on the site could not be saved, but the college has found ways to ensure its survival in perpetuity. The school is collecting seeds to propagate into at least 50 saplings that will be planted around campus. In addition, wood from the tree itself will be used in various aspects of the new building.

With this building, the college is also planting the seeds for future development on campus, including a planned wetlands environmental center that will showcase the 58-acre wetlands itself.

Sliney hopes that this new wetlands facility will be a zero net energy building and achieve LEED platinum, the highest rating possible. For now, the college will continue to use its wetlands and worm bins as real-life examples for its environmental science courses to plant the seeds of change with its students.

Reducing site impacts a top goal for designers of the $33M project

Cascadia Community College in Bothell is one of the first colleges to commit to the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment to neutrality.

This journey began with the college's wholesale adoption of carbon-neutral strategies, from composting food scraps in worm bins and using green cleaning products to using a hybrid fleet car and subsidizing bus passes. The next logical step, however, was to design a green building that met the college"s goals for stewardship of the land.

The $32.6 million Center for Global Learning and the Arts will do just that. Scheduled for occupancy in the fall of 2009, the building will be soon certified as the first LEED green building on campus. Its design and construction has relied on one dozen professionals from all sectors of the college, as well as at least one dozen members on the design team alone. This collaboration will reap immediate and long-term benefits.

"The global learning center provides an opportunity to keep improving on the colleges existing environmental goals, says Dee Sliney, director of capital projects and auxiliary services at CCC. After certifying to LEED for New Construction, we hope to also certify our existing buildings under LEED for Existing Buildings, which helps monitor and ensure the ongoing operations and maintenance of a green building.

Defining goals

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a rating program that provides a yardstick of sorts for measuring sustainable qualities of a green building.

The state of Washington has mandated that all capital projects achieve a LEED silver designation, the second level of a four-tier system. With the collaboration of all involved parties at CCC, though, both Sliney and architect Margaret Sprug believe this building might even achieve LEED gold status.

During the initial stages of design, the projects green consultant, OBrien & Co., brought the entire team together to brainstorm ideas for the environmental goals of the building.

The green building process works best as a team, says Elizabeth Powers, a principal with OBrien & Co.

Otak principal and site civil engineer Nico Vanderhorst agrees. In a multi-building environment such as a college, healthy site functions are essential to the ongoing site maintenance for stormwater runoff, irrigation and landscaping. It was helpful for us to be in the same room with the building designers discussing how the runoff from the roof and hard surfaces impacts water on the landscape, for example.

Margaret Sprug, an associate at the Miller/Hull Partnership, says the project has seen a lot of give and take as the team seeks to provide the most functional building with the least impact. We hoped initially that we could install a geothermal heating and cooling system for the building. However, the better solution ultimately was to use the schools existing central physical plant, which will save the college money but still provide heat to the building efficiently.

Treating runoff

One of the biggest challenges posed by any building to a site is how it sheds rainwater: where it goes, how its channeled, how to treat it, and how to prevent it from entering the building at ground level.

Before any construction begins, a plan is created to ensure all development and construction follows stringent guidelines to prevent erosion and pollution during construction and beyond.

The Center for Global Learning and the Arts treats rainwater in several ways: through a 500-square-foot vegetated roof that captures water before it gets to the site, through a storage system that collects rainwater and reuses it to irrigate landscaping, and through the natural filtration processes in an adjacent wetland.

This 58-acre restored wetland, which serves the shared campuses of CCC and the University of Washington Bothell, will receive water directly from the new global learning center, which will release clean rooftop rainwater and groundwater directly into the wetlands.

This water will then flow into the recently restored North Creek and be transported to the Sammamish River, about 500 feet downstream. The runoff will infiltrate and recharge the wetland and any excess water will flow across the wetland vegetation before entering North Creek, thus protecting the existing stream channels from excessive erosion.

Runoff is also treated by a system of four treatment trains that provide water-quality treatment of runoff from all over campus, including roadways and parking lots. Each treatment train includes a mechanical oil-water separator to remove oils, a settling vault to remove sediment, and a biofiltration swale to provide final filtration. These systems are part of the overall plan for eliminating pollutants from the campus site, but another green method may garner more attention.

Clearing weeds

CCC has been pesticide-free since July 2006. As part of its LEED submission, the project will seek an innovation credit for an integrated pest-management strategy that, according to Powers, carries the green ideas of the building forward in healthy, long-term maintenance of the grounds.

To remove dozens of blackberries choking the site without using herbicides, the college hired 60 goats from Rent-A-Ruminant. This non-polluting, almost zero-emissions decision eliminated an invasive plant species in just a few days and it was so successful that the college will try a larger herd of goats from Healing Hooves to clear a more extensive, vegetated site on campus, adjacent to the Center for Global Learning and the Arts.

Planting the campus

Miller/Hulls design for the global learning center focused on saving trees, and the school hired an arborist to identify healthy trees and their locations.

Unfortunately, one of the large heritage trees on the site could not be saved, but the college has found ways to ensure its survival in perpetuity. The school is collecting seeds to propagate into at least 50 saplings that will be planted around campus. In addition, wood from the tree itself will be used in various aspects of the new building.

With this building, the college is also planting the seeds for future development on campus, including a planned wetlands environmental center that will showcase the 58-acre wetlands itself.

Sliney hopes that this new wetlands facility will be a zero net energy building and achieve LEED platinum, the highest rating possible. For now, the college will continue to use its wetlands and worm bins as real-life examples for its environmental science courses to plant the seeds of change with its students.

The units will include granite-tile kitchen countertops, along with tiled baths and hardwood floors, Mann said.

The first buildings are expected to be completed by the end of the year. The site is eventually planned to hold 25 buildings, with six housing units in each. The timing of the rollouts will depend on market conditions, Mann said.

Preliminary design plans are complete for an egress from Hwy. 126 onto Second Street in Prineville, city officials confirmed this week. 

"I expect any day to hear from them that they are ready to go out for bid on that project," said City Manager Robb Corbett. "We are right at having design plans completed."

He said OTAK Engineering is the firm doing the design work, which calls for an egress from Hwy. 126, behind Gee's Family Restaurant on NW Second Street.

While there is no timeline for the project as yet, Corbett was originally hopeful to synchronize the project with the recent Crooked River Bridge expansion. 

"We were trying to get it done in coordination with completion of the Crooked River Bridge with the thought that the contractor on that job might be able to compete well in bids for it," Corbett said. "We (thought we) might be able to save ourselves some money if we can put it out for bid when he is still on the job. He wouldn't have to pay to remobilize his crew."

While that window of opportunity has closed, city engineer Mike Wilson plans to meet with Oregon Department of Transportation Right-of-Way Section today. 

"(We need) to do some property exchange with Gee's Restaurant to accommodate the design that OTAK did," Wilson said. "Once I've got the right of way, we'll go to bid that project. Right-of-way acquisition and trades and negotiations is a dot the I's and cross the T's process. It could take a couple of months to finalize."

Once finalized, he said the actual project will likely take about four months.

Wilson said the timeframe is dependent on two factors: How quickly the city can get the right of way, and the weather. 

"If we get the right of way the first of August, then a contractor on board the first of September, then you have September, October and November, then new weather is coming in," Wilson said. 

The funding source for the project is city transportation system development charges.

The city will expend an estimated $400,000 from the fund for the complete project, Corbett said.

Funding for an egress from the highway to Second Street was approved last year.

In an effort to address current traffic issues and the city's future needs, City of Prineville staff embarked on a Second Street egress project nearly a year ago.

It was suggested motorists traveling to the east side of town, including the Juniper Acres area, would be able to bypass Third Street traffic by immediately exiting to Second Street, therefore easing the traffic burden on Third Street.

Measures will also be put in place to ensure that development is maintained at a controlled level, without placing too much strain on the city's resources.

This could mean some plans being scaled back in a bid to prevent over-development.

"Up until now many of the masterplans have considered developments in isolation and treated them as separate entities," said Colin Hill, a technical director for engineering and architectural consultancy, OTAK International.

"But the only way that ongoing developments are going to work is if they are integrated and form part of an overall development strategy for Abu Dhabi. There is a noticeable movement along those lines."

As Abu Dhabi attempts to avoid the issues that have plagued other emerging cities, developers have said that the new regulation will not drastically impact current designs.

"At the present time, it's not going to fundamentally change our existing construction programme. Like everything else, all masterplans are continually being revised and reviewed," said Lee Smith, director of infrastructure, Tamouh.

"I think most developers see the importance of infrastructure being installed at an early stage, to ensure that all developments are successful."

Smith added any changes made to developments early on shouldn't be too costly.

"From Tamouh's point of view our costs are flexible, we have a very flexible masterplan and we don't see any negative effect at this early stage. Those developers who are in the initial throes of their development will take note and most are working closely with the authorities to ensure this initiative is successful."

According to Sami Al Qazzaz, regional manager of Halcrow in Abu Dhabi, the initiative has been brought in at a critical point in the development of the emirate.

"I think this is something that is needed purely to ensure that there is proper planning between all the developments and better integration between transport networks and various other systems," he said.

"Of course developers may complain if they have to adjust their projects, but if it's at the early stages, it will be easier."

The times are changing when it comes to sustainability, and OTAK is changing right with them.

OTAK is known as a remarkably versatile engineering firm, specializing in planning, water resources, transportation, architecture and landscape.

Locally, it might be even better known as one of Lake Oswego's largest, if not the largest, private sector employers with 225 employees based here (out of 500 worldwide).

But now OTAK is becoming known for its increasing emphasis on sustainability, a trend that will only help this ever-expanding company keep right on growing.

"We are definitely positive about sustainability, said Michelle Wittenbrink, project engineer for water resources. There is momentum out there. Kevin (Timmins) and I do green street projects and work keeps coming to us.

We"re bigger than weve ever been, said OTAKs sustainability adviser Robin Rogers. Sustainability has a lot to do with that. We can incorporate sustainability on any type of project.

OTAK has not just jumped on the sustainability bandwagon. Ever since the company was founded in Lake Oswego in 1981 it has featured sustainable elements. One notable accomplishment was Hamilton West, the first building to have a green roof in Portland, in 1999.

It wasnt called sustainability back then, Rogers said, but looking at the history of many projects you can see a big measure of sustainability with the civil engineering and the architecture.

It predated the hoopla. OTAK had to incorporate a certain amount of sustainability for clients for reasons of buildings durability, non-toxicity and cost-effectiveness over the long run. It was a no brainer.

But there is no denying that OTAKs emphasis on sustainability has dramatically increased in the last two years. A milepost came when Nawzad Othman, one of OTAKs founders, declared that the company needed to go in a more sustainable direction.

Another milepost came when Rogers was hired as sustainability adviser. She was one of the top professionals in the field, having previously served as the first direction of Built Green, probably the largest green building rating program in the nation.

This has been market driven, Timmins said. Developers are always looking for something that distinguishes their product and theyve latched onto sustainability. People are intrigued by it.

Its not just OTAK, Wittenbrink said. The market has changed. Private and public both want to go the route of sustainability. Even the federal government.

Of course, when it comes to sustainability the 500-pound gorilla in the room is global warming. An ever-increasing number of people are coming to believe that action must soon be taken about it.

We have no choice but to do something about this, Rogers said. Weve been warned by scientists across the globe.

With energy and land, were stretching our limits, Timmins said. People are coming to the realization that we need to do better.

Currently, OTAK is working on 50 sustainability-related projects all over the world, and the number is ever increasing. Its not only new projects, either. Rogers said that OTAK is heavily involved with the huge South Waterfront project in Portland.

We find how we can fix things that were done wrong, Rogers said.

But it doesnt have to be a huge project. Right in Lake Oswego, OTAK has worked on the Clean Streams Plan and several projects involving green street elements, including the First Addition neighborhood.

Such projects just might be the most appealing aspect of OTAKs work on sustainability, since it transforms a neighborhood into a greener, prettier place, with better use of stormwater.

Were bringing back nature, Wittenbrink said. Were creating a more livable type space and also increasing its functionality. We can even make stormwater an amenity where you can actually see it and not bury it in a pipe.

What would people rather see? Rogers asked. Pavement or nice trees, bushes and flowers?

With its unique capacity for an interdisciplinary approach to sustainability, OTAK will only become more sustainable in the future. Certainly, the engineers and project workers think so.

Sustainability is fun, Wittenbrink said. It allows us more interaction and makes our work more interesting. It helps us retain employees.

New recruits are all really interested in sustainability, Rogers said.

In fact, OTAK is willing to go to great lengths to be sustainable. Rogers cited the story of OTAK architect and principal Tom Hamann, who was working on a visitors center in Las Vegas.

Tom asked, 'Can you think of anything else sustainable we can do for it?  Rogers said. He wanted to do everything possible that was sustainable for this small, seemingly insignificant building. Tom is very green.

OTAK is green, too, and getting greener.

Abu Dhabi's leading real estate developer, Sorouh Real Estate, announced the start of construction of its AED 729 million project, Golf Gardens.

The US Green Building Council announced today that the Oregon Heath & Science University Center for Health and Healing (OHSU CHH), in Portland's newly redeveloped South Waterfront District, has received a LEED Platinum green building certification.

The CHH building is OHSU's first new building to be developed as part of the campus's 21st Century expansion into the newly redeveloped South Waterfront district located on the Willamette River just south of downtown Portland.

The development and design goals for the project were to provide cutting-edge health and wellness technology in an environmentally sustainable building.

The 16-story, 400,000 square foot facility has clinical offices, day surgery suites, a rehabilitation center, educational and laboratory research facilities. The building program accommodates a 3-story entry atrium, a cafe, pharmacy, optical shop, and day spa (floor 1), a wellness and fitness center with swimming pools and a basketball court (floors 1-3), a conference center (floor 3), imaging (floor 3), ambulatory surgery (floor 4), outpatient clinics and offices (5-11and 16) and educational offices and research laboratories (floors 12-15).

Starting in mid-design, the project team targeted a sustainability goal of LEED Platinum, a first for medical and research facility of this type, size, and complexity. The integrated design of the building achieves significant energy savings  more than 60 percent below the Oregon Energy code. The design includes onsite power generation from both a gas-fired cogeneration (Combined Heat and Power, CHP) plant and building integrated photovoltaics that double as sun shades on the south façade. Building systems also include an integrated day-lighting system, naturally ventilated stair towers, radiant heating and cooling, eco-roofs, on-site stormwater management and rainwater harvesting, onsite waste treatment (a membrane bioreactor), and a large two-story solar collector (Trombe wall) that will preheat water and the HVAC system for the laboratory spaces. No potable water is used for waste conveyance or irrigation in the building, and the swimming pools are integrated with the heating and cooling system as a thermal storage unit.

The selection of sustainable and lower toxicity materials was also emphasized for interior finishes and furnishings and include low volatile organic compound (VOC) paints and sealants, sustainably manufactured carpeting systems, and the use of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood products.

The project achieved 55 credits within the LEED rating system, exceeding the requirements for LEED Platinum certification by three points.

Sustainability Snapshot

Electricity Savings: 4.2m kWh annually
Natural Gas Savings: 395k therms annually
CO2 savings: >3,400 tons annually
Potable Water Savings: >2.1m gallons annually
Construction Waste Diverted from Landfill (recycled): 3,741 tons

Project team

Owner: Oregon Health & Science University and University Medical Group
Developer: Gerding Edlen Development Company
Archiect: GBD Architects
MEP Design + Commissioning: Interface Engineering
General Contractor: Hoffman Construction
Civil Engineering: Otak
Landscape Architecture: Walker Macy
Third-party Commissioning: Glumac
Sustainability Advisors: Brightworks