Portland Community College
IN-27: Innovation D

PCC FMS partnered with a variety of people and organizations, including the Department of Environmental Services at the City of Portland, on an innovative green roof and storm water education plaza project. Prior to construction, all storm water runoff from the building and adjacent hard space flowed downhill into the Willamette River without any treatment. This project included a green roof atop the Continuous Learning for Individuals, Management & Business (CLIMB) Center building and adjacent rain garden with an educational kiosk and interpretive art piece. The project is part of a larger storm water mitigation effort in the warehouse district called the SE Clay Green Street Project. Part of the project funding came from a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Innovative Wet Weather Program grant. The green roof captures and filters storm water, mitigating the amount of water flowing to the Willamette River and reducing issues of erosion and contamination. Additional roof runoff is sent cascading over concrete and steel slabs into the rain garden, while street runoff flows into the facility under a steel sidewalk grate. An interpretive kiosk, covered by a green roof, also absorbs rain, and the kiosk describes how the rain garden captures and filters storm water to keep runoff out of the sewer system. This is a perfect example of FMS promoting sustainability education while simultaneously advancing environmental stewardship.