9.20.2012

How do you kick the tires on a $100M Project? Ask SABIT

U.S. Department of Commerce's Special American Business Internship Training Program (SABIT) trains senior level professionals from Eurasia in energy efficiency and green building technologies. Recently, First Stop hosted this group from countries as diverse as Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. (Man, that's alotta Stans.)

Their study tour focused on building--retrofitting and new construction-- for energy efficiency. Local experts led the group through some of Portland's premier projects, old and new: from the Brewery Blocks, Port of Portland Headquarters, and OHSU's Center for Health and Healing  to OUS's Collaborative Life Sciences Building and the Edith Green Wendell Wyatt Modernization Project. Presenters emphasized the importance of  sustainable design and architecture, high quality construction materials, renewable energy applications, IT applications and technologies, green building certification and commissioning, as well as marketing a green product. 

Bruce Fellows, Mechanical Engineer, Port of Portland
By introducing Eurasia's building professionals to Portland's experts, the U.S. Commerce Department hoped to better equip the region's companies with best practices and leading edge technologies for use back home. Opportunities flowed both ways, however. Local firms like Green Building Services, Michael McCulloch Architects, GBD Architects, ZGF Architects, SERA Architects, Gerding Edlen Developers, JE Dunn Construction Company, OHSU, and the Port of Portland got to showcase their facilities, products, and services to their Eurasian counterparts, potentially gaining valuable contacts and partnerships to explore. 

We've attempted to show you in a few minutes what the visitors saw during their study tour with First Stop. We hope you enjoy it and appreciate your feedback in the comments section, below.  


9.13.2012

First Stop Academy Kick-off: Portland + Santa Catarina, Brazil

Brazil is rapidly urbanizing; with it comes the opportunity for smart growth to flourish.

In late August, First Stop Portland partnered with consulting firm Sustainable Hub in hosting a dozen CEO's from Brazil's textile industry here to re-think the term "sustainability" both for their companies and their industry.

The week-long study tour addressed sustainability through the lens of innovation: new materials design and development; new thinking in business models; and the role of public/private partnerships in advancing green business strategies. It also strengthened connections between Portland and Brazil to share innovations and business relations.


Santa Catarina's textile leaders met Portland's - including Pendleton's CEO Mort Bishop, Nike's Laura Vogel, Wieden + Kennedy's Nick Barham, Ziba's Eric Park, and Looptworks Scott Hamlin, to name a few. They toured the emerging factories of  Queen Bee and Spooltown on North Williams with owners Rebecca Pearcy and Sarah Tunstall, and Montevilla's  Portland Garment Factory with Rosemary Robinson and Britt Howard. They spent a morning at Oregon College of Arts and Crafts with President Denise Mullen.

What did Brazil take back?

1) Challenge assumptions both personally and professionally about the term "sustainability." A common thread among everyone was the connection to craftsmanship.  
   
2) Build a formal relationship with PSU's  College of Urban and Public Affairs and Center for Global Leadership in Sustainability for training and course development.

3) "Grab them by the beauty of the product, first - and then educate them"... about sustainability.

Below, some highlights from the visit, compiled by student ambassador Victoria Dinu.