Portland Appearance: University of Oregon
April 4, 2008
Dan was the featured speaker at the University of Oregon's (UO's) new environmentally friendly White Stag Building.
Portland's daily newspaper, The Oregonian, described the building as follows:
The $37 million renovation has connected the gothic Bickel building, designed in 1883, with the 1889 Skidmore building, both distinct for cast-iron features such as building fronts, columns and window shutters. They are joined to the more industrial White Stag building, designed in 1907 and well-known for the neon Made in Oregon sign on its roof.
UO is leasing 103,000 square feet of classroom, office and event space -- double what it has had in Southwest Portland's Willamette Building and other offices scattered around town.
The building should accommodate expansions in the university's education programs for 20 years, said Terri L. Warpinski, the vice provost for academic affairs who oversees the university's off-campus education programs.
"We like its symbolism," Warpinski said of the new building. "We love the visibility."
Renovators made the buildings open and airy, exploiting natural light with windows and glass ceilings. They also used environmentally friendly materials and designed features to save water and energy.
Warpinksi, incidentally, invited Dan to be one of the first people to tour the White Stag Building and to speak to those on the university's staff involved in the University's greening efforts. Dan explained the Green the Capitol Initiative in a round-table discussion aimed at learning how the Capitol's attempt at greening compared to UO's.
The LEED-certified White Stag building boasts rainwater harvesting, water-saving fixtures, energy efficient cooling and heating systems, recycled building materials and non-toxic paints, glues, carpeting, sealants and finishes. The building will also have a green roof and solar arrays in the near future.
