ShareThisRivermark’s New Building Receives First Certification of its Kind!
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Rivermark provides bike/walk-up teller access supporting alternative modes of transportation. |
The new Rivermark Community Credit Union on SE Hawthorne has been certified!
Rivermark is at the top of our leadership list, since this is the first building to achieve certification under the Earth Advantage Commercial pilot program, and it was the first to enroll. In addition to numerous energy efficiency and green features that helped it meet certification, this building is just plain elegant! It is designed by Baysinger Partners and constructed by LMC Construction.
The building's energy efficiency measures include a high performance envelope, efficient HVAC with economizer cooling and night flush capabilities, and a lighting system that uses 35% less energy than code. The project also adopted an acceptance testing protocol for all HVAC and lighting systems, and as a result, Rivermark was able to implement a number of post completion optimizations.
Rivermark also implemented a number of green measures, including vegetated roof areas, high-efficiency irrigation, environmentally friendly materials, educational displays that explain the sustainable aspects of the building, and green housekeeping practices. The company attacked indoor water use by using ultra low-flow faucets for hand washing and WaterSense-certified toilets. A hallmark feature of the new location is a nifty bike-up/walk-up teller window that ensures equal access to services for cyclist and pedestrian customers.
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| Eco-roofs (also known as a vegetated roof) top the drive-thru teller station and the main building. Eco-roofs consist of vegetation that work to slow down water flow into Portland's undersized sewer system, while insulating the spaces below from solar heat. |
To top it off, George Kyler, the facilities director with Rivermark, told us “There is no doubt that this building will perform in a superior manner to the one that we had planned on building. We will take our learning to the other branches we own and be a more efficient company and better community leader as a result. Because we are member owned, the energy features included in Hawthorne are being looked at by our members and an example is being set.”
We can't always see the forest for the trees as we go about our day-to-day work, so it's truly rewarding to hear that we really can be agents of change. Now onto the next projects! We have many more in the works...
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