Technical Sessions

Updated Technical Session Schedule

Bull Run Hydroelectric Project Decommissioning – A Tour

John Esler, Project Manager, Hydropower Licensing and Sean Flak, / Civil Engineer, Power Supply Engineering Services, Portland General Electric

Portland General Electric (PGE) is nearing the completion of the decommissioning of a 2-dam hydroelectric facility located in the Sandy River basin of Oregon. PGE intended to relicense this project, but the environmental costs (salmon protection) to update the facility to current agency criteria made this impossible. This tour will include the primary dam site on the Sandy River, where the river is re-establishing the natural channel after the removal of the dam, the Roslyn Lake site that has been drained and is being restored, and the powerhouse that will not be demolished until 2009. This project provides a series of interesting issues related to the apparent inconsistency of removing a renewable, non-carbon emitting electric generating facility at the same time that Oregon is challenged to develop additional renewable electricity generating facilities. For the construction and engineering oriented participants in the tour, the logistical and practical considerations of the actual de-construction of a facility of this size will provide many important learning opportunities.

Communicating with Pavement Markings–Bicycle Boxes and Colored Bicycle Lanes

Roger Geller, City of Portland / Office of Transportation, Bicycle Coordinator

In response to three “right-hook” crashes on popular bikeways, Portland designed and is implementing treatments at 12 intersections to maintain cyclist’s comfort while increasing their safety in bikeways. The design comprises colored bicycle boxes, colored lead-in and egress lanes and accompanying signing. The project also involves an education campaign, coordination with police on enforcement, and a robust evaluation program. This presentation will focus on the considerations leading to adopting this treatment, the design specifics, and initial results of its effectiveness.

Portland Regional Infrastructure Strategy

Todd Chase, ACIP LEED, FCS Group, Senior Project Manager/Economist

The Portland Metropolitan Region is facing unprecedented infrastructure challenges, with growth far exceeding the US average, and where our major infrastructure investments (such as bridges and water/sewer pipes) are in need of major upgrade or replacement. The Metro Infrastructure Strategy is the first regional attempt to fully document the extent of this challenge and to consider a range of financing options with respect to roads, bridges, transit, water, sewer, parks, schools, and energy.

Utilizing Rainwater Harvesting in a Green Street Design

Don Bilyeu, Engineering Tech IV and Trevor Coolidge, Civil Engineer I, City of Gresham

This case study explores the inclusion of the latest wave of sustainable practices - shared streets, permeable pavers, rainwater harvesting, and renewable energy – all wrapped into one project. A woonerf (shared street) design and solar powered rainwater irrigation system were incorporated into the completion of a missing link on Beech Avenue in Gresham, OR. The street segment serves as a gateway to a new performing arts plaza while testing a solar powered irrigation system for future use in larger projects. Beech Avenue includes large, arcing planters to serve as chicanes, mountable curbs to slow vehicles at each approach, and a travel lane demarked by a variation in paver color to create a low-speed environment for all road users. Beneath the permeable pavers, a rainwater collection system diverts water to an underground cistern to irrigate the new street plantings during dry summer months. The irrigation system uses an off-grid solar powered battery, pump, and control system. Due to the absence of existing utilities and domestic water supply, the alternative energy and rainwater harvesting system proved to be cost competitive with a traditional grid tied, domestic water irrigation system.

Renewable Energy Initiatives at Gresham’s Wastewater Treatment Plant

Guy Graham, Wastewater Services Division Manager, City of Gresham, Dept. of Environmental Services – Wastewater Services Division

The City of Gresham is embarking on a number of Sustainability initiatives; this session will highlight a wide range of applications at the wastewater treatment plant. Energy conservation and “green” power purchase:

• Replace motors as they wear out with super efficiency motors

• Specify high efficiency heating, lighting, pumps and motors in all design projects

• Participate in PGE’s “Clean Wind” Program

Experiences with Co-generator (heat and electricity) utilizing biogas:

• Engine Performance/Operation

• Old engine down 41% of the time during the final 5 years

• New system down < 5% since going on-line in November of 2005 (96.5% “Up Time” since start-up)

• Design-Build contract

• Allowed start-up 6-8 months earlier than possible with conventional design-bid-build (resulting in >$100k in energy production and savings)

• The “co-generator” produces electricity and heat

• The power has provided 50.8% of the plant’s electricity since start-up

• The heat warms the plant’s digester, which must maintain a temperature of about 93º F, and also provides space heat for buildings

Solar Initiative, negotiating a solar PPA for ~0.4 mW PV installation at WWTP:

• Will provide approximately 8% of WWTP electric energy needs

Micro-hydro - Feasibility/Pre-design Analysis:

• A pre-feasibility analysis was completed in December 2007 funded by grant from ETO

• Feasibility/pre-design underway (completion by September 2008) with 50% funding provided by ETO (Energy Trust of Oregon)

Participating in ACWA “Energy Independence” Project:

• Final Report to be completed in July 2008

• Gresham WWTP and Corvallis WWTP are serving as the “pilot” facilities for the project

• Seven renewable resource options being evaluated including; 1) fuel cells using digester gas, 2) internal combustion (IC) engines using digester gas, 3) micro-hydro using a treatment plants outfall to a river, 4) microturbines using digester gas, 5) solar photovoltaic (PV), 6) on-site small wind turbines, and 7) using fats-oils-and-grease (FOG) and green waste to increase digester gas production (and thereby energy production).

Making Low-Impact Development a Reality in Your Community

Steve Fancher, Watershed Management Division Manager, City of Gresham, DES

As the use of low-impact development techniques to manage stormwater has increased dramatically over the past decade, so has the collective knowledge of its hydrologic and stormwater treatment benefits. Shallow infiltration is the best way to mimic pre-developed natural hydrology, addressing the increase in volume of stormwater runoff, while minimizing potential risk to groundwater resources. Rain gardens, porous pavement, and the simple properties of trees can be utilized in any community if steps are taken to educate and train municipal staff, and to alter budget and maintenance practices. Clear and simplified design procedures and standards are also key components of successful implementation. This presentation will highlight these items, as well as lessons learned while implementing LID programs in Portland and Gresham.

Safe Sound and Green Streets – Portland's Recent Experience in Developing Sustainable Local Funding

Mark Lear, Traffic Investigations Manager, Portland Department of Transportation

This presentation will provide an overview of Portland's recent effort to develop a sustainable local transportation funding source. The presentation will summarize Portland's efforts over the last year in the following areas:

• Public Process

• Portland's Street Utility Fee Proposal

• Project Selection

• Project implementation

Sustainability and Pavement Management

Jim Huddleston, Executive Director, Asphalt Pavement Association of Oregon

The increased emphasis on sustainability, reduced energy consumption and reduced use of limited natural resources is leading to rapidly changing technology in asphalt and pavement preservation strategies. This presentation will describe existing and emerging strategies and technologies that will help the public works community maintain their pavement infrastructure with the most cost effective and sustainable tools currently available.

Enhancing the Transportation System and the Environment

Doug Tindall, Deputy Director, Oregon Department of Transportation

Transportation is a key component of our nation’s economy and our society. However the current system contributes to Green Houses Gases which harm the environment. New techniques and processes will be necessary in order to maintain the ability to move people and goods, but do so in a way that creates less impact on the environment. This presentation will talk about the issues and the framework for moving forwards towards a solution that address all needs.

Clean Diesel Opportunities for Public Works

Kevin Downing, Clean Diesel Program Coordinator, Department of Environmental Quality

Diesel engines are widely used because of their power, durability and economy. However the emissions from these engines are known to be implicated in a number of serious human health and environmental concerns. These range from increased risk for cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, asthma as well as global warming. Engineering advances are making it possible for new diesel engines in the United States to be the cleanest in the world. This would be sufficient to mitigate these problems except that existing diesel engines are likely to remain in service for at least another 30 years. Much of this technology can be used on the legacy fleet but a standard business case cannot be made to encourage users to install advanced exhaust controls. Financial assistance from state and federal programs is available but is insufficient by itself. Additional partnerships through contracting requirements or specifications for public works projects can play a key role in protecting human health and the environment while also serving the public interest.

Lessons in Environmental Justice

Jeri Williams, Neighborhood Program Coordinator, City of Portland, Office of Neighborhood Involvement

We will explore the issue of Environmental Justice: the what, the when and the how to include these issues in the EIS process of a project. We will share stories of previous projects that have included EJ issues and how they were successfully addressed. This workshop will be interactive and provide the space to answer questions you may be having about effective outreach tools and reaching out to underrepresented communities that will be affected by public works projects.

Efficiency and Safety Innovations in Traffic Signal Control for Oregon

Jim Peters, Principal, DKS Associates

Drivers expect to be able to drive arterial roadways without stopping. Traffic engineers design traffic signal coordination to reduce stops, delays and travel times for motorists, but non-stop travel through traffic signals cannot always be achieved on two-way streets. Over the past several years, Oregon has been at the forefront of national achievements and innovative improvements in traffic signal control: adaptive signal control systems, flashing yellow arrow, truck priority, transit priority and new traffic signal software. This presentation will present the traffic signal control innovations that are making significant efficiency and safety improvements in Oregon, and other planned improvements for traffic signal operations.

The Lynch Pin to Pleasant Valley – Jenne Road Sewer – Management of Technical Challenges and Environmental Planning

Jim Montgomery, PE, Senior Engineer, Wastewater Services Division; City of Gresham; Matt Hickey, PE, Principal Engineer; MSA; and Todd Martinez, Engineer-in-Training; MSA

The City of Gresham is providing sewer service to the Pleasant Valley area by constructing a 36-inch diameter sewer interceptor. The sewer pipe has many challenging aspects to its design including crossing under Johnson Creek through a four barrel inverted siphon designed by Murray, Smith & Associates, Inc. Johnson Creek provides habitat for threatened salmon, and the proposed open-cut trench method of construction for the siphon required special environmental permit application and approval. The location of this project required multi-jurisdictional coordination and approval from 15 agencies. Careful management of design and permitting allowed the construction of a cost effective, sustainable and low impact gravity sewer solution.

Sustainability in Transportation – Green Streets & Street Lights (LED)

Randall C Shannon, Civil Engineer II, City of Gresham

The City of Gresham has adopted a set of Green Street Standards for new development. These standards use large tree canopy and rain gardens to mitigate the stormwater impact of the streets. These standards show how environmentally friendly streets can be economic and functional. The set of choices made for these standards will be examined along with alternatives. The design challenge caused by conflicts between the streetscape features will be discussed. The difficulty with street lighting and street lighting standards will be described in more detail. Developing options for street lighting, such as LED lighting, will be shown.

Commercial Building Energy Efficiency

Brandon Adams, C.E.M., Oregon Department of Energy

Brandon will present information about energy conservation in existing and new construction. Specific topics will include information about the various tools and resources available to assist in identifying, analyzing, designing, implementing, and financing energy efficiency projects in buildings. Additionally, Brandon will present case studies highlighting past projects, and will discuss the financial, social, and economic benefits that result from High Performance Building Design.

Stormwater Solutions: Turning Oregon’s Rain Back into a Resource

Teresa Huntsinger, Program Director for Clean Rivers, Oregon Environmental Council

In 2006, the Oregon Environmental Council convened a multi-disciplinary, statewide task force to develop recommendations for reducing the impacts of urban runoff on Oregon’s waterways. The team’s recommendations are outlined in the report, “Stormwater Solutions: Turning Oregon’s Rain Back into a Resource.” The broad range of policy recommendations and educational projects aim to prevent pollution and implement low-impact development. While scientific knowledge about the design of watershed-friendly stormwater facilities is growing, that information may not get to the people who make decisions. Social and political barriers such as existing development codes, questions about who should be responsible for maintenance, and lack of capacity often present the greatest challenges. Discuss the role that the public works department can play in overcoming the hurdles to low-impact development in your community and learn what others have done.

Using Ecosystem Service Markets to Address our Most Pressing Environmental Challenges

David Primozich, Executive Director, Willamette Partnership

Every year businesses and communities spend tens of millions of dollars on environmental compliance – much of it mandated by regulations designed to meet a very limited range of highly visible environmental problems. The trouble with huge investments into a limited number of highly visible environmental issues is they rarely address the more complex, systemic issues that led to the problems in the first place – diverting us from a path to sustainability where healthy and resilient ecosystems are the cornerstone of a healthy economy. Worldwide, there has been an explosion of growth in market mechanisms to pay for the things naturally functioning ecosystems do for society – such as trees taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen and cooling stream water, or forests purifying our drinking water, and wetlands filtering and recharging our groundwater and floodplains reducing the impacts of flood events. Ecosystem service markets provide a pivotal link between people willing to pay for actions that improve and protect our environment and those who can take those actions. The conservation community and the business community are now poised to propel ecosystem service markets as a way to resolve some of our most challenging environmental problems while creating the economies that support the people doing it.

Climate Change Management in Public Works: Rules, Technologies and Business Trends to Watch

Joshua Proudfoot, Co-Founder/Principal, Good Company

Sweeping regulatory, technological and industry changes are coming as a response to climate change. This presentation will identify key topics to watch that are likely to influence your work in the short- and mid-term future. Identifying and understanding these changes will help you anticipate and plan for their use in managing public works projects and systems. These topics include:

Rules and Laws – A review of the initiatives, state laws and rulemaking in progress that are likely to influence national legislation and public works projects and systems in Oregon.

Technologies – An introduction to several technologies in development that may reduce climate emissions while providing fundamental service to infrastructure providers.

Business Practices – An introduction to a few initiatives that should be watched or imitated to move your organization forward.

Panel Discussion “Encouraging LID Usage through Standardizing Processes and Practices”

Amy Carlson, Water Resources Engineer, CH2M Hill Steve Fancher, Watershed Management and Parks & Recreation Division Manager, City of Gresham

Steve Fancher will begin the session with a presentation, “making LID a reality in your community”. Then, the session will continue with a panel discussion facilitated by Steve. Panelists will include Amy Carlson representing a regional perspective from the Puget Sound, Teresa Huntsinger with the Oregon Environmental Council, a large city representative (TBD), a small town representative (TBD), and a Homebuilder’s Association representative (TBD). Panelists will be begin describing their backgrounds in LID, what role they have had in LID implementation and where, and what types of obstacles (and solutions) to LID implementation they’ve encountered. Steve Fancher will lead the discussion around several topics, including resources needed to make LID implementation a success in communities of various sizes, regional versus local LID design criteria, possible community partnerships, and maintenance.

Powering Oregon in a Carbon Constrained World

Thor Hinckley, PGE Renewable Power Program, Portland General Electric

Public agencies have a unique opportunity to set the example in their communities regarding power usage. Learn what choices others are making to minimize their carbon footprint and to promote sustainable practices.

Changing Paradigms in Managing Water and Wastewater

Kenneth J. Williamson, Head, School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University

The presentation will describe several paradigms which have dominated the water and wastewater field for the past sixty years and how these paradigms are rapidly changing to meet present requirements for sustainability. Pervious Concrete: Applications and Advantages Stacy J. Frost, PE, Project Manager & Civil Engineer, HDJ Design Group 1. What is Pervious Concrete. a. History b. Properties 2. Pervious Concrete Applications 3. Advantages of Pervious Concrete a. Economic b. Environmental c. Social d. Site 4. Design of Pervious Concrete a. Pavement Section Design b. Mix Design 5. Installation of Pervious Concrete a. Specifications b. Testing Guidelines c. Inspection Standards 4. Case Studies 5. Cost Comparisons 6. Maintenance

OTIA III State Delivery Bridge Program’s Sustainability and Recycling Update

John MacArthur, CS3 Program Manager, HDR Inc./Oregon Bridge Delivery Partners

In 2003, the Oregon Legislature dedicated $1.3 billion to address the condition of Oregon’s bridges. Charged with establishing and implementing the ambitious 10-year OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program and repair or replace 365 highway bridges, we at the Oregon Department of Transportation began by developing an overarching decision-making framework called Context Sensitive and Sustainable Solutions, or CS³. More than a guiding philosophy, CS³ is driving our success on the five program goals: stimulate Oregon’s economy; employ efficient and cost-effective delivery practices; maintain freight mobility and keep traffic moving; build projects sensitive to their communities and landscapes; and capitalize on funding opportunities. This presentation will discuss the Program’s sustainability and recycling initiatives and the annual performance measures.

Natural Step: Strategic Framework for a Sustainable Society

Duke Castle, Oregon Natural Step Network

Find out why sustainability is much more challenging than being “green” and almost impossible to achieve without a sustainability framework. This presentation will provide an overview of the Natural Step (TNS) sustainability framework that uses a science-based systems approach to help companies, communities and organizations strategically move toward becoming part of sustainable society. This framework is a guide to thinking and acting in harmony with the earth’s cyclical processes. It provides a pragmatic set of design criteria that can be used to direct social, environmental and economic actions. Locally organizations such as Nike, Norm Thompson, Gerding/Edlen Development, Neil Kelly, The Collins Companies, Tualatin Valley Water District, and cities of Portland, Lake Oswego and Corvallis are all making use of the Natural Step framework.

Embracing Sustainable and Innovative Solutions - West Slope Water District Reservoir No. 3

Jerry Arnold, West Slope Water District; Kevin Thelin, PE, Murray, Smith & Associates, Inc.; Don Hall, Ward-Henshaw Construct

In 2003, Murray, Smith & Associates, Inc. (MSA) completed a site evaluation and seismic analysis for the future construction of a partially buried concrete reservoir on West Slope Water District’s existing primary reservoir site. Two 2.25 million gallon (mg) hopper-bottom, dome roof, cast-in-place reinforced concrete reservoirs occupied the site. 1960s planning anticipated the construction of Reservoir No. 3 adjacent to the existing two. Structural assessments established the older Reservoir No. 1 to be in a mode of slow failure. A new reservoir is being constructed to replace this reservoir. MSA conducted siting analysis of two tank orientation options; one at the adjacent location originally planned for, the other at the existing Reservoir No. 1 site. As part of MSA’s design work, a demolition and construction sequencing plan was developed in addition to final designs for a new 3.0 MG partially buried, pre-stressed concrete reservoir.   This project provided many opportunities for sustainable demolition and construction practices. With the Reservoir No. 3 site immediately adjacent, excavation materials were stockpiled on site saving trucking costs and fuel. Additionally, 1500 cubic yards of rock excavation and 900 cubic yards of concrete were recovered for crushing on site for structural fill and sub grade material. Nearly 100 tons of reinforcing steel were recovered for recycling. The existing control vault was remodeled with more reliable valving. Obsolete materials were salvaged. An innovative temporary retaining wall system was employed on site saving valuable schedule. Construction completion is targeted for July 2009.

Last updated August 18, 2008