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What happens when preparing for a worst-case scenario leads to the best possible outcomes? For Oregon State Treasury’s new Salem headquarters, that means designing an office building capable of withstanding an historic earthquake, but doing so in a way that makes daily building operations beneficial for people and place alike.

Oregon State Treasury had already been working to improve its ability to provide financial services to Oregonians after a disaster, but the potential catastrophic consequences of a Cascadia event – which geologically was long overdue – helped to expand the types of threats that needed to be considered and the urgency of boosting Treasury’s overall resilience.

Incorporating these design elements, the team’s integrated energy modeling and solar energy studies revealed that net zero energy was potentially within striking distance. This in turn led the team to the International Living Future Institute’s (ILFI) Zero Energy certification. Going the extra step to ensure the building aligns with the ILFI framework offered a north star to Treasury’s resiliency and sustainability requirements as the project team moved into the final design phases. It quickly became clear that designing for deep resilience and net zero energy directly supported each other

Dan McNally, Treasury Business Operations Manager, will lead us on a tour of this newly opened building that is a model of modern resiliency

Hear from the Design Team on June 8th

As a follow up to this tour, AIAO and COTE recommend you attend the upcoming presentation by Energy Trust Allies for Efficiency on June 8th, Oregon State Treasury Resiliency Building at Mill Creek: Where net zero and resiliency intersect in innovative building design and construction.