SERA Portland Headquarters

Location: Portland, Oregon

Year Constructed: 1910

Work Completed: 2022

Nominator: SERA Architects

Project Budget: Withheld

DeMuro Award Recognizes: Oregon Heritage, Reuse, Sustainability, Equity

 

History: Designed by Seattle-based architect Charles Aldrich, the Galleria building was constructed in 1910 as the Olds, Wortman & King Department Store. A significant example of early 20th-century department store architecture, it is a defining property in Portland's historic retail core. 

 

Overview: Housed on the upper floors of Portland’s landmark Galleria building, SERA’s Portland Headquarters offers proof that state-of-the-art performance and historical cultural significance are not mutually exclusive. The exterior of this National Register-listed building has received thoughtful interventions that improve comfort and performance while retaining its original character. Equity and sustainability considerations were at the forefront of decision-making for the project, with regard to both location and design:

 

  • Sustainability: Having identified an aspirational goal for sustainability certifications, including LEED Platinum, the Living Building Challenge, and WELL, the firm has undertaken a robust post-occupancy data-collection effort in which energy and water usage are monitored in real-time on a dashboard system that occupants can view. Embodied and operational carbon were also calculated, revealing the benefits of the adaptive reuse project. Looking at the building as a whole, 79% of embodied carbon was avoided by celebrating and reusing this historically protected resource in lieu of constructing a new building. The decision to repurpose an old building and capitalize on the existing embodied carbon was essential to the project’s sustainability results. In addition, upgrades to the existing building will result in a 51% reduction of operational carbon emissions through 2050, compared to leaving the building as is. 

 

One key incentive that made an enormous difference was the Energy Trust of Oregon’s Path to Net Zero program, which pays a higher incentive rate related to energy savings if a building can achieve the AIA’s 2030 Challenge. For the Galleria this meant achieving over 80% in savings over similar baseline buildings, and over 50% better than current energy code requirements. This incentive program was designed for new buildings, but the Galleria decided to attempt it as a 110+ year old building, and was able to qualify for the maximum $500,000 incentive, which certainly helped to justify the shift to a highly efficient all-electric HVAC system for the full building. 

 

SERA is pursuing all relevant certifications (LEED Platinum, WELL, Fitwell, Living Building Challenge Materials petal) and working with certifying bodies to adapt criteria—which were created primarily for new construction projects—and apply them more effectively to adaptive reuse projects that avoid embodied carbon emissions. SERA hopes to make it easier for other designers, developers, and clients to modernize existing buildings which is vital to reaching the 2030 climate goals established at the Paris Agreement. 

 

  • Equity: The decision to locate in the Galleria Building aligned with the firm’s equity values and its commitment to contributing to the vibrancy of downtown Portland. Being near the central transit hub appeals to a diverse group of employees, most of whom can get to work with one transit line. As downtown Portland continues to rebound from the pandemic and civil unrest of 2020, SERA is committed to contributing to the recovery. While employees spend their workdays in the central business district, they interact with the surrounding community, caring for their personal needs at nearby restaurants, retail, and community resources, resulting in a vibrant, lively urban core populated by thriving small businesses.

 

Congratulations to the entire project team:

SERA Architects

Unico Properties

KPFF Consulting Engineers

Fortis Construction

Environments

Ecotope

PAE

Portland Street Art Alliance

AddLife

 

Photos by:Lara Swimmer, Josh Partee, Fred Joe