3 = 1

3 Ends = 1 New Beginning

A lot has happened in the last three months and easily sums up my year


Ending #1:
Three months ago I ended my job with Green Hammer. If you've read my previous posts or know me, you might find this as a major surprise. But it's not tragic. After being there for a year and in the position of a part-time office and project coordinator, I was starting to feel a bit lost, unmotivated, not living up to my potential and most importantly I had trouble envisioning a growth path within the company. For a couple of reasons, neither of which reflect poorly on the team there or myself. First, they are a small business, they don't have the resources of a large business to offer me the experience I was after. Second, I felt like my role was developing into a receptionist/secretary with little structure or a path to higher ground. I was finding myself feeling unappreciated, not valued enough, unhappy. (In GH's defense, this was last winter when business was so low, there was not a lot going on for me to do and if I would have stuck it out long enough, I may have been able to accomplish my personal career goals - but I didn't) I quit. But with there support as you'll soon find out.


Ending #2:
Last week I was invited to the Habitat for Humanity dedication ceremony for the new Women Build house. I wasn't going to miss it. Even though I've slowly fallen off the page with the group I spent a good portion of last fall on the donation-in-kindness committee and was able to secure donations for all of the flooring in the house. Wood floors for the downstairs and Green Label Plus carpeting for the upstairs. I really wanted to see how it turned out or even if the companies actually followed through. I spent a lot of time that fall educating the other committee members about green products and how we could increase the health and comfort of the home by searching for sustainable options (this was a semi-novel idea for HfH because they weren't committed to making every home sustainable at that point, indicating that donaters wouldn't be willing to donate higher quality products) To my surprise when I showed up for the dedication, the house had been Earth Advantage Certified! All in all, it was pretty neat to see the final product look so good even though I had a minor role this year. I have a lot to owe HfH, actually I know I wouldn't be where I'm at now without the yearlong experience of building a house two years ago that I shyly endeavored.


Ending #3:
Yesterday was my last day working with the Sustainable Food Coordinator at OHSU. Eecole has been the most valuable mentor through my little career journey. Not only is she a remarkable role model but she has become one of my most supportive and biggest fans. We accomplished a lot in the last two years! And I very proud and honored to have been involved in such a major transformation in waste reduction at the largest university/hospital in oregon. I will miss my time in the office with Eecole, Justin and Riikka.



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1 New Beginning:
All of these endings have led me to where I'm now. And I'm very happy to tell you that I was offered a job, out of the blue, to work in the Design + Construction Department at OHSU! I've been there for the last three months, slowly transitioning out of the Food and Nutrition department. And so far I love it, I can't believe how lucky I am and can't seem to stop bragging - I just can hardly believe how far I've come since that spring day when I showed up at a lot in North Portland to a foundation that I eventually would build a home on and become a member of the WB committee and become a well known volunteer. And last year when I was so anxious nervous, excited to apply to GH's internship and I thought the interview went terrible because I received no call until 6PM on the day they said they'd get back to me (I had already given up and said oh well). And then the day I went to talk to the Assistant Director of D+C, I sat in my car for minutes, almost deciding not to go in and bailing. Wow, what a relief I overcame my fears and followed my dream so persistently. And as I'm realizing of all that I have accomplished in the last two years, thinking of myself as just a young student not qualified really to lead anything, I am reminded of how much I have grown. As a testimate, I was nominated to be President of the NW Ecobuilding Guild this Spring, I declined and opted for the VP position but really as all of my fellow steering committee members were encouraging me, I am qualified to be President, public speaking skills and all!


More to come about my new job . . .

terunobu fujimori

i am very impressed with this architect's work and love the use of natural materials naturally treated to maintain durability

Check out more of his work at Dwell online

webster duplex

2 winters ago, i started looking for ways to get involved with the green building community

i found Cascadia's Emerging Green Builders and I found Habitat for Humanity
i was eager to become involved with both and made minor attempts to assimilating into both

the EGB's were hosting a natural talent design competition to design a LEED silver duplex on a lot that habitat for humanity owned in the hopes that they would take the design winner and build it

my self-esteem was not in full swing that winter and even though i worked for hours on a duplex design and attended the design charette held at SERA, i didn't submit a proposal. i didn't even make it to a habitat site to volunteer

this was my floor plan

2 years later and i am an active volunteer for habitat for humanity and an intern for a green building construction company and am very excited to announce the completion of the habitat webster duplex

the webster duplex is being dedicated to its two families tomorrow night and is on the path of reaching LEED Platinum Certification! the oregonian featured it on the front page of their "how we live" section last week. you can read more here:

Habitat for Humanity homes in Portland aim for platinum LEED certification

ecotrust

On Tuesday, my "sustainable construction practices" class toured the ecotrust building located in the Pearl District in Portland. The 1895 building was donated to Ecotrust by Jean Vollum in 1998. It was renovated to meet LEED Gold criteria by Walsh Construction Company and the superintendent of the project, Carrington Barrs, enthusiastically led the tour.

Walking up to the building from the West side, it's as if you are entering a secret garden tucked away in from the showy condos and brick buildings. This secret garden has a ancient ruin brick wall sheilding the rest from the busy street life. And then you step over the damp mote and walk through the stand of young cedars. When you reach the front facade, the wearing brick is sketched in time but lifted by two magnificent steel columns on each side. As you enter the warm interior, raw and rich, the wide plank floor runs right through the center, from arch to arch, the same wooden floor that the horses pulled grain carts through. The brick rises three times, like a house of cards, and large heroic beams stretch across and support the rising atrium. Light, even in the setting sun, drenches the interior, scouring away the dim. People just keep coming and going, passing and pausing, down from the stairs and waiting for tea. This is not only my secret garden but everyone's, who find a little peace.


Carrington started in the atrium, led us outside, down into the basement, up to the rooftop and down into the conference hall. There were stories for every landing both from his experience with his crew and the previous lives the building has lived. The most stunning form of sustainability is the sheer rawness of the interior and exterior but somehow it encompasses warmth and freedom. The moose head is a simple reminder that we belong in the circle of life.


One thing I learned on the tour is that UV rays are the primary reason roofs fail, this is why green roofs have such a long life span, 50 plus years, because the roof is actually never exposed to the sun. Other benefits of ecoroofs include, reduced storm water runoff, cooler ambient and storm water temperatures, greater ceiling insulation and
water filtration. All of these benefits paired with semi-permeable pavement and bioswales, rainwater slowly meanders it's way back to the Willamette River at it's historic pace, free and clear of contaminants and just as cold as the river it feeds.


For more information about the Ecotrust, check out their site

For information on the building, The Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center, go here

wish me luck

i've applied for an administrative internship position with green hammer construction, the best darn green builders in portland today! so i'll make some personal sacrifices for the next four months if they'll just give me a chance

i have an interview tomorrow, keep your fingers crossed x

UPDATE: I was offered the position and I gladly accepted :)