Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Equilibria: Sustainability And Eco-Awareness In Music Production, Ashley A. Kahl-Placek

University Honors Theses

Cross-disciplinary exploration between science and the arts is one tool to help solve some of the biggest issues facing humans. Climate change and loss of biodiversity can be represented via sound art and contemporary music composition. Wholistic eco-awareness and sustainability are possible when projects are based in unique species-inspired soundscapes, the cultivation of targeted, action-inspiring lyricism, and a sustainable navigation of the marketing and distribution pathways of the music industry. From the fall of 2021 to summer of 2022, field recordings of unique ecosystems were collected and combined with songwriting rooted in a love and hope for the future of …

Current Stormwater Practices And Future Implementation At Portland State University With The Uncertainty Of Climate Change, Evan Suemori, Alexandra Vargas Quiñones

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Stormwater runoff is one of the most critical environmental issues in urban areas and is only expected to worsen as climate change persists (EPA, 2016). When precipitation events occur, stormwater travels across impervious surfaces collecting soils and pollutants which can negatively impact water quality in receiving waters. Additionally, stormwater has human health impacts, specifically through flooding and the contamination of drinking water. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), it has been determined that climate change will increase the frequency, intensity, and/or number of precipitation events in some regions, including the Pacific Northwest, and decrease in others (IPCC, …

Collaboration And Evaluation In Urban Sustainability And Resilience Transformations: The Keys To A Just Transition?, Liliana Elizabeth Caughman

Dissertations and Theses

Climate has changed and will continue changing; city populations are swelling as urbanization continues to accelerate; extreme environmental events like heat waves and floods are becoming more severe and more common; and the climate justice movement is rapidly gaining momentum. It in this context that municipal governments find themselves urgently seeking solutions to transition cities from extractive, vulnerable, and unjust to sustainable, resilient, and equitable. The task is complex and will require systemic transformations across interconnected social, environmental, and economic infrastructures. Emerging theories regarding how to govern such massive changes suggest Transition Management strategies and the values of a just …

Stars Annual Report, 2020, Campus Sustainability Office

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

The Campus Sustainability Office (CSO) compiles information from departments across campus annually to complete the STARS Report. The score is based on the number of points received across five categories: Academics, Engagement, Operations, and Planning & Administration, and Innovation & Leadership. PSU has maintained a Gold rating since the institution began reporting in 2011 and is within the top 40 of over 400 reporting institutions. This summary includes improvement opportunities to assist our efforts to eventually become a STARS Platinum institution. For more information on improvement opportunities please contact Amanda Wolf at wolf@pdx.edu

Utility Summary Fiscal Year 2020, Campus Sustainability Office

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

Energy usage listed by building.

Psu Green Building Internship Final Report, 2019: Karl Miller Center Post-Occupancy Study, Everett Stilley, Junyoung Lee

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

This study examined the effectiveness of the passive cooling strategies in the Karl Miller Center (KMC) at Portland State University. Due to the warm temperatures reached in Portland during the summer months and the absence of a mechanical cooling system on the Pavilion side of the KMC, classrooms can exceed thermal comfort preferences on a number of occasions. Previous studies have recommended taking certain classrooms “offline” after 12pm in the summer, where they are only available for morning classes. This study aimed to update the classroom prioritization as well as analyze the employed cooling strategies and begin a long term …

Stars Annual Report, 2019, Campus Sustainability Office

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

The Campus Sustainability Office (CSO) compiles information from departments across campus annually to complete the STARS Report. The score is based on the number of points received across five categories: Academics, Engagement, Operations, and Planning & Administration, and Innovation & Leadership. PSU has maintained a Gold rating since the institution began reporting in 2011 and is within the top 40 of over 400 reporting institutions. This summary includes improvement opportunities to assist our efforts to eventually become a STARS Platinum institution. For more information on improvement opportunities please contact Amanda Wolf at wolf@pdx.edu

Utility Summary Fiscal Year 2019, Campus Sustainability Office

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

Summary of energy usage listed by building.

Campus Sustainability Office Annual Report, 2018-2019, Campus Sustainability Office

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

The Campus Sustainability Office 2018-2019 annual report.

Psu Green Building Internship Final Presentation, 2019: Kmc Post-Occupancy Study, Junyoung Lee, Everett Stilley

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

Survey students taking classes in Pavilion classrooms during summer 2019 term. Analyze data to update classroom scheduling recommendations.

A Comparison Of Neighborhood-Scale Interventions To Alleviate Urban Heat In Doha, Qatar, Salim Ferwati, Cynthia Skelhorn, Vivek Shandas, Yasuyo Makido

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

Recent evidence suggests that many densely populated areas of the world will be uninhabitable in the coming century due to the depletion of resources, climate change, and increasing urbanization. This poses serious questions regarding the actions that require immediate attention, and opportunities to stave off massive losses of infrastructure, populations, and financial investments. The present study utilizes microclimate modeling to examine the role of landscape features as they affect ambient temperatures in one of the fastest growing regions of the world: Doha, Qatar. By modeling three study sites around Doha—one highly urbanized, one newly urbanizing, and one coastal low-density urbanized—the …

Psu University Services Building Leed Eb Materials Audit Report, Christa Mcdermott, Emily Murkland, Bryan Nguyen, Tay Stone, Rushada Wimer

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

This report provides Portland State University’s (PSU) Campus Sustainability Office (CSO), with an objective third party LEED O+M Materials Assessment of PSU’s University Services Building (USB). The data collected for this audit provides CSO with insight into the building’s current waste composition and diversion rate. Additionally, it identifies opportunities to reduce the amount of recoverable materials ending up in the landfill stream. Community Environmental Services (CES) conducted material audits for 100% of USB’s landfill-bound, commingled recycling, and compost streams during a 24-hour period. While, audited construction and demolition (C&D) materials were generated over the course of a week.

An Analysis Of Green Infrastructure Implementation Strategies In Portland And Other Global Leaders In Climate Action, Rachel L.R. Lemont

University Honors Theses

Green infrastructure has become increasingly popular as a way to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change in urban environments. Cities all over the world, including Portland, have developed their own strategies which inform local organizations on the actions they should take to be climate resilient - and many of these strategies include the implementation of green infrastructure. This thesis compares Portland's green infrastructure implementation strategies to those known around the world, and utilizes themes found in those strategies to create a survey on local green infrastructure initiatives in the Portland area. This information will be important for …

Psu Market Center Building Leed Eb Materials Audit Report, Christa Mcdermott, Emily Murkland, Bryan Nguyen, Tay Stone, Rushada Wimer

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

This report provides Portland State University’s (PSU) Campus Sustainability Office (CSO), with an objective third party LEED O+M Materials Assessment of PSU’s Market Center Building (MCB). The data collected for this audit provides CSO with insight into the building’s current waste composition and diversion rate. Additionally, it identifies opportunities to reduce the amount of recoverable materials ending up in the landfill stream. Community Environmental Services (CES) conducted material audits for 100% of MCB’s landfill-bound, commingled recycling, glass bottles and jars recycling, and compost streams during a 24-hour period.

Campus Sustainability Office Annual Report, 2017-2018, Campus Sustainability Office

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

The Campus Sustainability Office 2017-2018 annual report.

Psu Green Building Internship Final Report, 2018: Karl Miller Center Post-Occupancy Study, Omar Abu Sulaiman, Jocelyn Reynolds

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

In this report, both occupant comfort perception-based data, collected via surveys, and building performance-based data, collected via sensors, are utilized to conduct a post-occupancy evaluation of Portland State University’s (PSU) new Karl Miller Center (KMC), formerly known as the School of Business Administration. The KMC was completed in September 2017 and is on track to earn LEED Platinum certification, primarily for the passive ventilation strategies incorporated into its design. The environmental factors studied in this report are air and concrete slab temperatures, CO2 levels, and airflow. The personal factors studied in this report are clothing levels (clo), gender identity, thermal …

Stars Annual Report, 2018, Campus Sustainability Office

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

The Campus Sustainability Office (CSO) compiles information from departments across campus annually to complete the STARS Report. The score is based on the number of points received across five categories: Academics, Engagement, Operations, and Planning & Administration, and Innovation & Leadership. PSU has maintained a Gold rating since the institution began reporting in 2011 and is within the top 40 of over 400 reporting institutions. This summary includes improvement opportunities to assist our efforts to eventually become a STARS Platinum institution. For more information on improvement opportunities please contact Amanda Wolf at wolf@pdx.edu

Utility Summary Fiscal Year 2018, Campus Sustainability Office

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

Summary of energy use listed by building

Psu Green Building Internship Final Presentation, 2018: Karl Miller Center Post-Occupancy Study, Omar Abu Sulaiman, Jocelyn Reynolds

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

Intent of Study:

Determine if the mechanical and passive design strategies in the KMC are functioning properly to provide appropriate levels of thermal comfort to occupants.

Utility Data Comparison Of Fy16, Fy17, And Fy 18 Quarter One And Quarter Two Data, Campus Sustainability Office

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

FY16, FY17, & FY18 Q1 and Q2 EUI Comparison

Green Leasing Internship: Final Presentation, 2017, Emily Quinton

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

Presentation slides from summer 2017 Green Leasing Internship, Portland State University

Psu Green Building Summer Internship Final Report, 2017: Interior Environmental And Indoor Air Quality Assessments Of Workspaces For Future Maintenance Of Parkmill’S Constant Air Volume (Cav) Hvac System, Bassam Alduhaim, Sofia Chavez Cruz

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

Parkmill’s Design, Construction, and Mechanical Systems

The Parkmill building is located on the lower south section of Portland State University’s (PSU) urban campus between SW Park Avenue and SW Mill Street.The lot space, originally selected for the design proposal in 1956, was located between two buildings including the acquired Parkway Manor (currently designated as PSU housing) and former frame house-type buildings. The proposed building would supplement the evening and summer curriculum courses offered by the General Education Division (GED) in partnership with Portland State College and would become a vital resource for students in the Portland metropolitan area.

Green Leasing Program Design For Psu, Emily Quinton

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

Portland State University (PSU) serves as a Landlord to over 60 third-party tenants, including retail, food service, office, food cart, and other tenant types. To encourage and standardize the adoption and practice of sustainability behaviors among these tenants, PSU hired a Green Leasing Intern during the summer of 2017. The intern, graduate student Emily Quinton, managed by members of the PSU Planning, Construction & Real Estate (PCRE) team, was tasked with researching best practices, drafting green leasing language, and developing tenant engagement and incentive-based approaches to implementation. This report serves as the culminating deliverable for that internship. Additional internship documentation …

Leed O+M Materials Audit: Blumel Hall, Emily Murkland, Taylor Stone, John Dea, Kristen Purdy

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

• This report provides the Campus Sustainability Office with an objective, third party Materials Audit for Blumel Hall in Portland, Oregon. The data collected for this audit provides Campus Sustainability Office with insight into Blumel’s current waste composition and diversion rate as well as identifies opportunities to improve recycling, composting, and areas for reduction of materials consumption. Community Environmental Services (CES) conducted Materials Audits for 100% of Blumel Hall’s landfill-bound, commingled recycling, glass bottles and jars recycling, and compost streams during a 24-hour period.

Psu Urban Center Building Leed Eb Materials Audit Report, Emily Murkland, Taylor Stone, John Dea, Kristen Purdy

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

This report provides the Campus Sustainability Office with an objective, third party Materials Audit for Portland State University’s Urban Center Building in Portland, Oregon. The data collected for this audit provides Campus Sustainability Office with insight into Urban Center’s current waste composition and diversion rate as well as identifies opportunities to improve recycling, composting, and areas for reduction of materials consumption. Community Environmental Services (CES) conducted materials audits for 100% of Urban Center’s landfill-bound, commingled recycling, glass bottles and jars recycling, and compost streams during a 24-hour period.

Psu Green Building Summer Internship Final Presentation, 2017, Campus Sustainability Office

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

RESEARCH QUESTION: Is duct cleaning beneficial in terms of energy efficiency and overall occupant comfort?

Campus Sustainability Office Annual Report, 2016-2017, Campus Sustainability Office

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

The Campus Sustainability Office 2016-2017 annual report.

Analysis Of Impacts To Ecosystem Services Of Tree Replacement - Recommendations For Broadway Arboretum Phase One, Kim Brown, Joaquin Moore, Jeffrey J. Gerwing

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

The Broadway Arboretum Project is a coordinated effort between the Campus Planning Office (CPO), Campus Sustainability Office (CSO), and the Facilities and Property Management team (FPM) that seeks to increase diversity and resilience of PSU’s urban forest by replacing the existing trees lining Broadway Ave. between I-405 and SW Market Street (currently consisting of almost entirely a single variety, Norway Maple) with a variety of trees that showcase those currently approved by the City for street tree planting while also providing a testing ground for additional varieties that might by resilient to the challenges of growing and surviving in Portland’s …

Portland State University Solid Waste Assessment Report, Moonrose Doherty, Brittany Ann Brannon, Eric T. Crum

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

In January of 2013, the Campus Sustainability Office (CSO) of Portland State University (PSU) contacted Community Environmental Services (CES) with the request to conduct a landfill-bound waste assessment for the University’s 50-acre downtown campus, located in Portland, Oregon. CES is a research and service unit within the Center for Urban Studies at Portland State University. PSU is a state university that was founded in 1946, is home to Oregon’s largest undergraduate and graduate enrollment, and is the only public university in the state located in a major metropolitan city. Portland State is world-renowned for its sustainability initiatives, and has had …

Climate Action Progress, 2013, Campus Sustainability Office

Campus Sustainability Office Publications, Reports and Presentations

In 2010, Portland State University (PSU) adopted the University’s first Climate Action Plan (CAP) as part of the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). The CAP calls for climate neutrality by 2040 and identifies emission reduction targets in the following areas: Buildings & Energy, Materials, Travel, Commuting, Education & Research, and EcoDistrict Development. This report serves as an assessment of progress to date and provides: an updated carbon emissions profile, a snapshot of progress on individual actions, a summary of efforts contributing to CAP goals, and suggestions regarding next steps.