Lessons

Lillis Business Complex Offers
Lessons in Sustainability
Oregon e-News
Charles H. Lundquist College of Business, University of Oregon.

Students at the Charles H. Lundquist College of Business soon will visualize the concepts of sustainability in a new way--in the form of the $40-million Lillis Business Complex. The Lundquist College's new home will slash power bills, set new standards for environmentally friendly design and serve as a case study in sustainability.

"Our curriculum reflects the values of the Pacific Northwest business community" says Dean Phil Romero. "One of the strongest of those values is the recognition of the preciousness of our natural environment, and the need to protect resources. Our students learn to make the most of natural advantages; now their educational environment can do the same."

The new 145,000 square-foot building at the heart of the Lillis Business Complex will make the most of natural advantages by harnessing prevailing breezes for cooling and the sun for heat, light and electricity. The structure will be fifty percent more energy-efficient than state code requires.

The building's energy conservation measures will include carefully positioned rooms that can be used almost year-round without electric lighting; external shades and light shelves to regulate temperature; "smart" lighting that adjusts to daylight levels; and sensors that turn off lights and other non-essential items in unoccupied rooms.

An extensive ventilation system and extra thermal mass in the building's concrete structure will enable it to retain more heat on cold days and stay cool naturally through most hot days. Several photovoltaic panels will generate a projected 35 kilowatts of clean solar energy.

The building also will save water through low-flow fixtures and an "eco-roof," which will use rain to grow beneficial vegetation rather than allow it to run off.

Builders will utilize "green" components such as materials salvaged from the previous building, certified hardwoods and other sustainable resources.

When the Lundquist College first began working on designs with architects from SRG Partnership, PC, of Portland, Oregon, its primary mission was to improve the outdated technology, limited space and antiquated learning environment of its home in Gilbert Hall. Sustainable design also was a top priority from the onset.

"Each constraint--like our emphasis on sustainability--only provoked our architects' imaginations to produce an even better design," says Romero.

The Lundquist College's emphasis on sustainability reflects a growing understanding in the business world that environmental stewardship yields many benefits. A 1997 Lundquist College study showed that companies that adopt high environmental standards often enjoy higher profits, new customers, more qualified workers and an enhanced public image.

The green nature of the business complex also fits into a vision for sustainability across the UO campus. The university's Sustainable Development Plan, implemented in 2000, requires that design principles such as those expressed in the Lillis plans be applied to all new building projects.

"The Lillis project is an excellent example for the university community and the community at large," says Christine Taylor Thompson, an associate in the UO Office of University Planning. "It shows how sustainability can be integrated into a design without compromising the intended functions or costing significantly more; in fact, the sustainable measures will enhance the comfort and beauty of the building and result in substantial operating cost savings. It just makes sense."

The Lundquist College's emphasis on sustainability reflects a growing understanding in the business world that environmental stewardship yields many benefits.

And because sustainability is such a key business concept, it just makes sense that the Lillis Business Complex will offer University of Oregon students a tangible example of clear vision, careful planning and wise resource management.

For more information on the Lillis Business Complex or to check on the construction progress and view the Web cam visit: http://lcb.uoregon.edu/complex/

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