We are excited to announce that, among its many achievements, Hassalo on Eighth has become the world’s first recipient of the LEED v.4 for Neighborhood Development (LEED v4 ND) Platinum Certification. 

Located in the heart of Portland’s Lloyd neighborhood, Hassalo on Eighth transformed an existing asphalt parking lot into a thriving community, with three mixed-use residential buildings – The Elwood Building, Aster Tower and Velomor. This compact, high-density development, aligned with smart growth principles, consists of 657 housing units with approximately 50,000 gross square feet for retail and commercial use. A new pedestrian oriented pathway, lined with vegetation and water features, was carved through the development to better connect the buildings to the surrounding sidewalks. Green vegetated roofs were installed on the buildings, with rooftop garden and terraces providing residents with outdoor spaces to enjoy. The site vegetation helps reduce the heat island effect, improve air quality and reduce cooling loads in the buildings. Hassalo on Eighth is one of the first urban neighborhoods to treat and recycle 100% of wastewater generated onsite, using the Natural Organic Recycling Machine (NORM) as a neighborhood scale solution.

The vibrant and resilient Hassalo on Eighth community is also located within a bicycle network and is North America’s largest bike hub with secure bicycle parking for 900 bicycles. There are a wide range of retail, civic and community services on-site or within a short distance of the project, and convenient access to multiple existing public transportation options.

“Hassalo on Eighth helps us reimagine how our communities can be designed and reveals how green building strategies have the power to raise our quality of life,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO at USGBC. “We applaud Hassalo on Eighth’s project team for leading the way when it comes to creating communities that use fewer resources and prioritize the health and wellbeing of its residents.” 

Hassalo on Eighth achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions aimed at achieving high performance in sustainable site development, community connectivity, resource efficiency, green infrastructure and buildings. It’s important to note that LEED v4 introduced more rigorous requirements for design and performance than previous LEED versions. For example, bicycle facilities require connectivity to a bicycle network rather than simply having bicycle parking and showers, and rainwater management has higher thresholds for stormwater management onsite. Hassalo on Eighth met and exceeded these requirements in earning the world’s first LEED for Neighborhood Development v4 Built Platinum certification.

LEED is the foremost important program for buildings, homes and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained and operated for improved environmental and human health performance. The LEED v4 for Neighborhood Development program focuses on the sustainability of neighborhoods using an integrated set of smart growth, new urbanist, and green construction principles.

“The architecture and landscape design are intended to create a sense of community that is focused on eco-district strategies. With the vision of American Assets Trust, we put together a world class design team that understood the culture of Portland,” said Kyle Andersen, AIA, LEED AP, Design Principal at GBD Architects. “The project serves to help diversify the existing commercial real estate, and be a catalyst to other development to help stitch the Lloyd neighborhood into the urban fabric. We are very proud and humbled to have been a part of this world class project with such a forward-thinking client.”

Wade Lange, VP, Regional Manager of American Assets Trust said, “We are proud of our achievement in earning the nation’s first LEED for Neighborhood Development v4 Built Platinum certification from the USGBC for Hassalo on Eighth. We are committed to the strong stewardship of our community and the environment. The vision and passion of not only our entire team, but all of our partners who worked alongside us to develop Hassalo on Eighth, share in this outstanding achievement.”