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The Portland State University Research Greenhouse is a 5,000 square foot facility consisting of four independently controlled compartments, a head house, and a covered patio. Each compartment is devoted exclusively to research projects by faculty, who use the plant material cultivated there to teach in the university’s science programs.
Sited just south of the Peter Stott Center, this aluminum and polycarbonate structure has secured a remarkable achievement for a plant growth facility: a LEED Silver certification for energy efficiency and sustainability. It garnered its certification through sophisticated environmental controls and innovative architecture. Key green building features include polycarbonate panels to insulate and allow for light transmission; open-grid permeable pavers and flow-through planters to filter stormwater runoff; daylighting and occupancy controls to ensure lighting is used only when needed; and low-flow potting sinks, showers and dual-flush toilets to reduce potable water demands.