When Pacific Northwest architecture firm Mahlum set out to design its new Portland, Oregon headquarters, one question the firm asked itself was whether it was willing to “walk the walk” with regards to environmental sustainability. 

The firm’s response, as its newly completed Living Building Challenge (LBC) offices can attest, was an enthusiastic “yes!” 

 The LBC certification system, for the uninitiated, is widely considered as the “most rigorous sustainable building program in the world,” and offers up a variety of approaches for achieving a “symbiotic relationship between people and all aspects of the built environment,” according to the architects. Administered by the Living Building Futures Institute, LBC is billed as “a philosophy first, an advocacy tool second, and a certification program third.” Codified by a list of 20 “imperatives” organized according to thematic “petal” categories, the system focuses on vital aspects building design—including materials, health and wellness, equity, and beauty—as seen through the lens of regenerative design. 

For the office project in Portland, one major focus for the design was to have the space feel more like a place rather than simply an office. 

The architects write, “Our previous office location was in a multi-story, unreinforced masonry building. The two most important reasons for our office move were improving employee health (with daylighting and indoor air quality) and creating a resilient work space in preparation of a seismic event.” “We began by listening to our staff,” the architects continue, “They desired a space that connected them to a vibrant neighborhood, was directly located at street level, and was filled with natural light. They expected an environment that was comfortable, equitable, and beautiful.”

To help meet this need, the office also includes a 1,000-square-foot community gathering space and adjacent kitchenette that are available for local non-profit use. The space represents an effort by the firm to create and maintain more meaningful community ties by allowing people who live and work in the area to use the space.

Additionally, as part of the LBC certification, the office is outfitted with materials that have been thoroughly documented and vetted with regards to their environmental and chemical footprints. 

The designers state, “Over 350 unique materials were vetted for the project, resulting in the use of 31 Declare label, 77 Material Inventory, 74 Letter of Affidavit, 40 Due Diligence, and 8 Salvaged materials,” adding, “All regulated materials were screened for VOC emissions testing compliance and over 40% of all the materials for the project were sourced from within 500 km of the site.“

“The resulting studio,” the firm explains, “is now Portland, Oregon’s first LBC certified project, along with being the 48th in the United States, and 57th in the world.”