TCR/Port/OSU/Dunn

Leed Rated South Waterfront Apartments Open for Tenants

The net zero-ready structure that Camas School District plans for its new Hayes Freedom High School will rely on one of three energy sources – photovoltaic, wind turbines or geothermal. Interface Engineering, Portland, is studying the alternatives in conjunction with Mahlum Architects, Seattle. (Image courtesy of Mahlum)

Portland - Riva at the Park, a LEED Gold high-rise apartment tower developed by Trammel Crow Residential opened in April 2009. The 22-story contemporary building contains 274 apartments and ground-floor retail space. It’s rated Leed Gold and the tallest building Trammel Crow has ever developed.

Built on a brown field site, Riva is expected to achieve LEED Gold through numerous sustainable design features and finishes, including energy-efficient light fixtures, a 25,000 sq ft green roof at the fifth floor and energy efficient strategies such as optimum daylighting, high-efficiency glazing, EnergyStar kitchen appliances, low-flow plumbing fixtures, and dual-flush toilets. The project is expected to be 35% more energy efficient and will use 40% less water than a non-LEED building.

Riva at the Park is the first project in the South Waterfront that was designed as apartments and not condominiums. Riva on the Park is also a landmark building for Walsh Construction Co., Portland, the project’s general contractor. At 22-stories, it’s the tallest structure Walsh has built.

Port Receives $16.3 million In Stimulus Funds

Portland - Approximately $16.3 million in federal stimulus grants will flow to key projects at or near the Port of Portland’s marine and aviation facilities creating more than 300 construction-related jobs and ensuring the long term effectiveness and efficiency of these critical cargo and passenger facilities.

The largest grant, about $8.9 million, will go toward crane and wharf modernization projects at the Port’s Terminal 6. About $7 million will go toward the rehabilitation of one of the taxiways at Portland International Airport and about $400,000 will help fund a right turn lane at Troutdale Interchange on South Frontage Road at 257th Avenue. The new lane will provide relief for the heavy demand for the eastbound and southbound traffic at the interchange, which serves the Troutdale Airport and the Port’s Troutdale Reynolds Industrial Park, soon to be the home of the new Fed Ex Ground distribution hub and about 950 jobs.

At Terminal 6 about $1.6 million will be used to install modern motor drives and a new programmable logic controller in one of the nine cranes used to haul cargo on and off ships. The crane, first installed in 1991, is the Port’s heavy-lift crane and is one of its largest and most heavily used. About $7.2 million will go toward extending the rails upon which the cranes move to provide a full two-berth post-Panamax facility at Port container berths 604 and 605. The project will also include electrical, seismic, minor structural and storm water improvements.

OSU, Local Companies To Study Geomatics

Corvallis - The School of Civil and Construction Engineering at Oregon State University is forming a partnership with two industry-leading companies to help address the need for more geospatial surveying professionals and embrace the trend towards “Geomatics,” as this age-old profession evolves in an era of sophisticated 3-D data flow, remote sensing, and other new technologies.

OSU has signed a memorandum of understanding with David Evans and Associates, Inc., and Leica Geosystems, Inc.

Through this three-way partnership, Leica Geosystems will make available state-of-the-art geomatic equipment and software for use by OSU students on an ongoing basis. Industry experts from David Evans and Associates will work closely with OSU students and faculty in training and laboratory studies. Increased geomatics research efforts, course expansion, and new faculty are also anticipated as a result of this industry and education initiative.

Some new technology to capture geospatial data, such as 3-D laser scanners called LIDAR – for Light Detection And Ranging – are now routinely used to allow a Geomatics surveyor to accomplish as much in a day as used to be done in several weeks. Much of this is done in an office as well as the field.

Undergraduate students at OSU getting a degree in civil and construction engineering will have enough surveying courses available that they can take the state surveying exam to become a licensed professional.

J.E. Dunn Tops Out Tribal Services Center

Portland - JE Dunn Construction, Portland, held a topping out ceremony for the new CTUIR Tribal Services Center, a new office building located in Pendleton. The new 90,000-sq ft office building, designed by Group West Companies will become the center for CTUIR's governmental operations. The two-story center provides space for up to 550 people, including current and future employees of the Confederated Tribes.

Camas School District Plans New High School

Camas, Wash. – The net zero-ready structure that Camas School District plans for its new Hayes Freedom High School will rely on one of three energy sources – photovoltaic, wind turbines or geothermal.

Wind turbines may be feasible because of the site’s close proximity to the Columbia River Gorge, which is known for its winds. The geothermal option may be a possibility because power could potentially be drawn from water in an underground channel built in the late 1800s for the paper mill adjacent to the property. The 6 Northwest Construction 5/2009 third option arises from grants that could be used to buy 4,000 feet of photovoltaic panels that would be located on the roof of the new school.

Interface Engineering, Ore. will be exploring all three options during the next several weeks.