SUSTAINABLE AT HEART
Our Pacific Northwest ethos of environmental stewardship guides us towards a comprehensive approach to sustainability. We consider the implications of our work not just on a given site, but within the larger context of the environment as a whole. We design for efficiency, longevity and beauty. We value density and urban connectivity. We work to integrate systems that create synergies between empirical performance and holistic place-making.
Within our workplace, our Green Team meets regularly to brainstorm and advocates for ways to make our operations more sustainable. As a result, GBD has received the highest level of certification from Sustainability at Work – a program provided through the city of Portland that recognizes the positive environmental and social impacts of local businesses. We proudly encourage employees’ low-impact lifestyles, including active transportation, waste minimization, and support of local businesses.
Our built portfolio is an affirmation to these values: we have realized more than 2.5 million square feet of LEED Platinum work along with the first commercially sized, mixed-use Passive House building in the United States. Additionally, we are committed to the AIA’s 2030 Challenge to keep ourselves on the path to carbon neutrality.
Our Sustainability Action Plan (SAP) describes our commitments to sustainability, specifies how we will track our progress, and includes examples of our work that have set the bar for high performance design.
Kelly School Sensory Garden
Principal Architect, Kyle Andersen, giving an Architecture lesson to Catlin Gabel’s second graders.
GBDers bag Pears at Oregon Food Bank
Kelly School yearly Toy Drive
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
GBD is actively committed to serving the communities we call home. We donate our time, energy and knowledge to a variety of social and civic causes including Rotary, the ACE Mentor Program, and the Oregon Food Bank.
Crazy Golf Team Building Event
A HEALTHY WORKPLACE
We balance our culture of hard work with serious fun. As a firm, we strongly believe that our best work can only come about through the strong and positive relationships we share with each other as teammates, collaborators, and friends. It’s a tradition at GBD to foster these relationships outside the office through outings and events. Twice a year, we make time for GBD Recess, a day-long event of community service or just plain fun.
Monthly Staff Lunch
Storytelling Workshop at The Armory
BUILDING KNOWLEDGE
Professional development is critical to our success. Therefore, GBD believes strongly in enriching and expanding the knowledge of our staff by creating an office-wide culture of learning. To facilitate this culture, we host in-house events in our Family Room that feature presentations on a variety of topics.
Virtual Reality comes to our Office
Researchers from Japan Interview GBD Architects about Creative American Office Design
ALWAYS INNOVATING
Advances in technology continue to redefine how we work. Through the latest building information, visualization and project management software, we are able to share information with clients and consultants, creating an integrated flow of ideas that helps propel each project towards success.
