Ecotrust Event Space Rental
Green Practices
Do we need to say it? We are green.
Place Matters
For years we've considered ourselves one of Portland's premier venues for green events and meetings. And though we are humble, we figured it might be time to say it.
The most sustainable events and meetings begin with a sustainable building. The Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center, a renovated warehouse, respects the character of the original 1895 structure while incorporating environmentally-innovative materials and techniques, and is beautiful to boot. We know that the use of natural light and windows that actually open enhance guests' experiences. Original exposed brick and hardwood floors are easy on the eyes and we're confident they make long meetings more bearable and lend an eco-chic style to weddings and social events.
We know that being authentically green is about more than acquiring green certifications. What really matters is that our venue and services are of the highest quality and are sustainable to the core. Having said that, we do have a few certified bragging points.
- Portland's flagship eco-savvy building, we're the first historic renovation in the Nation to become Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certified
- PGE Earth Advantage Certified (now known as Earth Advantage)
- RecycleWorks Award Recipient
Cooks in our Kitchen
We allow only the best sustainable caterers in town into our kitchen. These chefs love the bounty of this place and prove it in their menus. Finding inspiration in local and seasonal ingredients, our caterers are helping to build a robust regional food economy. When there is left over food, our caterers participate in Portland's Fork It Over program and others like it, which redirect surplus food to hungry mouths in the City. Beyond food, our caterers grow their businesses using sustainable strategies, create healthy work environments for their employees and minimize energy use and waste.
Walking the Talk
We're fearless in our walk. And though we are much more than the sum of our environmentally smart parts, we offer the following laundry list of achievements to our clients:
- We offset our facility's electrical (carbon) use by purchasing Green Tags from Bonneville Environmental Foundation.
- As of January 2008, we've banned the use of plastic water bottles in our event facility. Water doesn't taste that great in plastic anyway.
- Events can produce plenty of post-consumer waste. To deal with this, we've got a compost bin and comprehensive recycling containers and we're not afraid to ask you to use them.
- Our parking lot is intentionally small not to frustrate you, but to encourage you to ride your bike (We've got ample bike parking.), to walk, and to take public transportation (We're a stop on the Portland Streetcar line.)
- As a nonprofit organization, we exist to provide a green venue in which communities can gather to share ideas and make plans to change the world. To make our venue more accessible to organizations with varied means we discount our rates for nonprofits.
- Ecologically sound forestry is paramount to our mission. This manifests in a very tangible way in our building. We've used top notch wood to deck our halls. During renovation, if we couldn't reclaim wood from the existing structure, we sourced Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood. To learn more about Ecotrust's myriad sustainable forestry initiatives visit our Forestry program page.
- 98% of our building's storm water is managed on site. This means it stays out of the Willamette River where it doesn't belong. We do this with brilliant technology and gravity. Learn more about our ecoroof (It helps regulate our building's temperature too!) and bioswales here.
- And last, though perhaps not the sexiest (though certainly one of our most celebrated eco-amenities), we are the first privately owned building in the State of Oregon to install waterless urinals.
Those who experience our space know that something different happens here. Our unique state-of-the-art facility is sought after by those already on the green band wagon and is the quintessential venue in which to seduce new audiences to make intelligent choices for a sustainable future. Come experience how beautiful green looks and how great it feels!
