Eugene, OR-

U of Oregon has a strong architecture program, and in the forefront is Professor Charlie Brown who does a lot of research on building materials and energy use. Since energy is the largest consumption of resources throughout the building's lifetime it is necessary to begin to reduce the impact and lifecycle costs associated with energy use.

Portland, OR

Portland State University- a very strong urban planning program in a new building with lots of natural light and public spaces.

Office of Sustainable Development www.sustainableportland.org
A government sponsored/run department that is in charge of facilitating recycling, composting, green building, and transportation throughout Portland. A very progressive and sucessful organization that continues to grow and enhance the Portland area.

Portland is interesting because they have an Urban Growth Boundary that inhibits the spread of suburbs out into the farm fields. Because the west coast is relatively young, it is able to put in place these boundaries and so far have been able to entice some developers to work within those guidelines and create beautiful, walkable, diverse neighborhoods. . .One example is Villebois, a planned development in Wilsonville that will become it's own town center, and is well under way taking housing reservations and working of the final site plans.

City Repair- www.cityrepair.org
A group of citizens that want to help transform the public spaces in Portland to promote community development, natural building, and place making. They have helped groups of people sucessfully build cob benches and kiosks in their public spaces. Each spring they also put on the Village Building Convergence, a week long event of workshops, speakers, and community building. A neat organization that is walking it's walk.




Our United Villages and the Rebuilding Center- work in partnership. . .the rebuilding center is a place for used building materials that can then be resold at lower prices, and the revenue goes to Our United Villages, a non-profit, working to foster community outreach within Portland.