A D V E R T I S E M E N T


The Portland Tribune Section tabs
Loading

Printer-friendly version     Email story link

Green Briefs • UO class puts Gresham under microscope

ADVERTISEMENTS

University of Oregon students will get hands-on training in how to make a city more sustainable, in a one-year collaboration with the city of Gresham.

Fourteen university professors and 250 students from UO’s School of Architecture and Allied Arts will participate in the innovative program, called Sustainable Cities Year-Gresham.

Students will analyze suburban development and craft possible designs and locations for future buildings in Gresham, including looking at a polluted brownfield site.

Students also will explore how to incorporate natural light into transit hubs and how to make schools more sustainable. The projects are conceptual in nature but will provide ideas for Gresham’s future development.

In the fall term alone, students will enroll in 11 classes for the project, plus additional courses during the winter and spring terms.

— Steve Law


Heat pumps now used to heat water

Rheem Manufacturing Co. has unveiled its new heat pump for home water heating, a super-efficient system that could cut PGE customers’ annual electric bills by $200 to $250. Heat pumps have long been used for home heating, air conditioning and other power, but this is the first mass-produced heat pump for water heating, says John Karasaki, PGE energy specialist.

“It’s going to be twice as efficient as any water heater they have right now,” Karasaki says.

The Rheem product initially will be available only through plumbing contractors for around $1,400. Total installed price to homeowners is estimated at $2,000 to $2,500, Karasaki says. However, subsidies can effectively lower the ultimate price to $1,000.

At that price, customers can recoup their purchase price in four years of energy-bill savings, Karasaki says.

Reduced energy use translates into lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Rheem demonstrated its new system locally on Oct. 28 to contractors and other interested parties. PGE will promote the product to its customers starting in January.

Heat pumps should help PGE and other electric utilities compete more effectively with Northwest Natural, which promotes tankless water heaters as an efficient way to heat water using natural gas.



1 | 2 Next Page >>


Digg Del.icio.us
StumbleUpon Toolbar Stumbleupon Reddit

Link to online gaming area Link to online gaming area Link to online gaming area Click to read Local Area Public Notices
Find Us on Facebook Find Us on Twitter

Browse archive


Link to The Portland Tribune

Find a paper

Enter a street name
or a 5 digit zip code


Link to online subscription form

Link to online subscription form

Link to KPAM



Weather Forecasts
Weather Maps
Weather Radar Video forecast


ADVERTISEMENTS






SPECIAL SECTIONS
AND PROMOTIONS

Entree special section


Web hosting


Link to Special Publication


Link to Special Publication

Our Portland website design and marketing company created custom websites for these top providers of Portland pest control services, Portland cleaning services and Portland florists.

Search engine marketing, website templates, portland web design and website promotion by Webfu // 503.381.5553

New down and fleece north face jackets. The largest selection of North Face Jackets available online. Free shipping on orders over $40.00

See the latest styles of ski jackets and backpacks from The North Face.

Become a Naturopathic Doctor. Developing future leaders in health care. Named by The Princeton Review as one of the best med schools in the country. Bastyr University.

Features Contact Us Classifieds Sustainable Life Sports Opinion Metro News News US & World News