ETO NZEL and PSU RBDI Participation

Our Sustainable Design Lab has been hard at work expanding our environmental design expertise and net zero energy research over the past few years. Part of this has included meaningful ongoing collaborations with the Portland State University Research Based Design Initiative (PSU RBDI) and the Energy Trust of Oregon Net Zero Emerging Leaders Internship (ETO NZEL).

During previous semesters with the RBDI, we have worked with PSU students to study the indoor air quality at an existing affordable housing high rise building, conduct a conceptual community building net zero design, and a post-occupancy energy use study using infrared thermal imaging. Last semester we worked with with graduate student Nancy Barakat to identify innovative methods for tracking Environmental Product Declarations through Athena and EC3 using our Las Adelitas development as a case study.

We started our work with the ETO NZELI last year by testing different energy modeling tools and developing our robust prototypical sustainable design process. From January through April of this year we worked with graduate student Courtney Sigloh to run an embodied energy analysis for one of our current affordable housing developments in Beaverton using Tally, while also developing a process for measuring embodied energy impacts and contributing content updates to our firm's second annual Sustainability Action Plan.

We want to extend our genuine appreciation to both Nancy and Courtney for their hard work and thoughtful approach in helping refine our team's continued focus on the AIA 2030 Challenge, particularly in developing methods for tracking embodied carbon, and for helping Salazar Architect continue to improve our ongoing commitment to create sustainable, carbon-neutral, resilient, equitable places!