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Did you know...
Lighting accounts for 29% of the energy use in a typical office (US Dept. of Energy, 1995)
One workstation (computer and monitor) left on after business hours emits 1 ton of CO2 per year (Lawrence Berkely Lab study, 1999)
A single office worker can use a quarter ton of materials in a year--including 10,000 pieces of copier paper. |
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Green Marks Storwater Tour
September 19, 2012
PSU cob structure serves as a gathering place for passersby
Liz Hirst, Green Marks co-chair, educates the team about native plants and their benefits
Mike Kendig tours the roof garden at PSU's Native American Center
Green Marks team members recreate the Beatle's Abbey Road album cover
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This is a publication of
Green Marks
Mission Statement:
Green Marks, the Melvin Mark sustainability team, promotes sustainable business practices and educational programs to stimulate environmental engagement within the company, our properties and the larger community. |
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 How green is your office space?
Melvin Mark has been committed to sustainable practices since green was just a color--and not a national movement. Businesses looking for green work spaces have a philosophical commitment to the environment plus a practical desire for lower energy costs, comfortable office spaces and increased productivity. How can you tell if the space you're looking at is green enough for you?
Staring November 1st, you can download from our website our new booklet "Going Green" for definitions, key points to consider, questions to ask the landlord and a handy checklist to take with you when evaluating your options. |
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Rain rain go away! 
Sustainable stormwater management mimics natural conditions by allowing rain to be filtered by vegetation and soak into the ground reducing the need for infrastructure to convey and clean stormwater before it enters waterways. Directing runoff to natural systems.Entering the Northwest's rainy season brings to mind the question of where the rains go and how the rainwater is managed. When it rains, water runs over pavement and other hard surfaces, picking up pollutants which can eventually end up in our rivers, streams and possibly in our drinking water.
allows stormwater to soak into the ground to reduce volume, while plants and soil filter pollutants and improve water quality.
Last month, members of the Green Marks team took the Portland State University Stormwater Walking Tour in an effort to view a variety of creative ways to manage stormwater runoff. Of particular interest were the ecoroofs over cob structures located next to the Park Blocks. Students built these from refurbished local materials and cob, a mixture of sand, clay, and straw similar to adobe. The project features an herb garden, permaculture garden, cob oven (used by the student cafe), dome shelter, and two ecoroofs. Students use the dome structure to study natural building materials and structural design.
Also impressive was the Roof Garden at the Native American Center. Tribal medicinal and ceremonial native plants in a "Sky Catcher" rooftop garden add beauty and insulation to the building while capturing and treating stormwater runoff.
There is much to learn from PSU's creative and effective means of redirecting and using the plentiful rains that come each year. Learn more, or take the tour yourself, by dowloading the map.
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 Building Focus:
Union Bank Building
In each issue, we will devote a section of the newsletter to one building's accomplishments and green features to highlight the measures staff, ownership, and tenants are all taking to keep sustainability at the forefront.
Level D Parking Expansion
Things have been busy at Union Bank over the past year. One of the largest construction projects ever undertaken at the building was completed--the addition of a new parking level. Melvin Mark Development Company converted a subbasement office into a new level of parking, adding 84 parking spots and a new "Level D" to the parking basement.
The Union Bank Building, 707 S.W. Washington St., was built in 1969 and included a check processing center and safe deposit boxes four floors below street level. Long unused, the office furnishings were removed and the floor was linked to the parking level above by a new ramp.
The additional level of parking boosts Union Bank Building's total spaces to 339, available for both short- and long-term parking.
And more...
As part of this project, the garage elevator equipment was modernized. This new equipment is much more reliable and energy efficient than the old. The new lighting in the garage is high efficiency T8 lamps with motion sensors to save energy. A new secure bike parking area was added along with a shower/locker facility for tenant use.
Interior renovations
We are currently renovating one of the interior floor lobbies and conference rooms with new carpet, base, paint and light lenses. The building incorporates sustainably-minded construction techniques such as recyclable carpet and low VOC paint. All construction waste is sorted and recycled.
New LED lighting was installed in the main floor elevator lobby. This project was completed through the Energy Trust and will save a significant amount of energy over the lighting that it replaced.
GoBox program
GoBox was implemented with great success at the Union Bank Building. GoBox is a new, innovative service providing reusable to-go containers to downtown Portland food vendors and their customers. To date, Union Bank Building tenants have managed to avoid the use of 204 disposable containers.
Zipcar
Zipcar added two parking spots for their cars in front of the building. We worked with them to host a very successful launch event promoting their partnership with the building and tenants. From Zipcar - "THANK YOU ALL for your help! This was one of our more successful launches for an office tower." Tenants of the building receive a discounted rate for the use of the cars.
E-waste event
Another success was our e-waste recycling event. We teamed up with Allied Waste to provide containers that tenants could put their unwanted electronic waste into for recycling at no cost. A total of 1749.75 lbs of e-waste was collected, great job!
And a big welcome to our newest Union Bank tenants: Evergreen Capital Management (Suite 933) amd CGN, Inc. (Suite 1040). |
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GoBox gains momentum at Melvin Mark
Melvin Mark is partnering with GoBox at four locations! GoBox is a new Portland-based service that provides reusable to-go containers to our local restaurants and food carts. When you sign up with GoBox, you can order your meal in a reusable take-out box instead of a throw-away container! We have provided a return location for our tenants at the Columbia Square at the guard's desk in the lobby, Robert Duncan Plaza, and Union Bank Building. Haseltine Building's drop off location is inside Pedal Bike Tours on Floor 1. Crown Plaza and Fifth Ave Building tenants are encouraged to use the Columbia Square drop-off location. To see a list of participating restaurants and food carts or to learn how to sign, click here. |
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Blanchet House awarded LEED Platinum
The Blanchet House of Hospitality, a Portland non-profit, has earned LEED Platinum certification from the US Green Building Council for the sustainable design features of its new $12.9 million building located in Old Town/Chinatown. Melvin Mark Development Company served as project developer of the 36,410 SF structure. Read more>>
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We respect your time and inbox; this is an opt-in newsletter. If you find the content valuable and enlightening, please join our mailing list and share with staff, tenants and friends.
 
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For more information about Melvin Mark's environmental management program, specific achievements, or to share an idea for a green improvement, contact our Green Marks co-chairs, Liz Hirst or Jaci Amend. |
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