WOHESC

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Our Sustainable Practices

Portland Community College – WOHESC 2025 Host Campus

Sustainability is a core theme of Portland Community College’s mission and Strategic Plan. As a result, PCC embraces a hub model to institutionalize sustainability across the college with an emphasis on four major areas: Education & Outreach, Operationalizing Sustainability, Student Engagement and Community Impact.

PCC is continually recognized as a top performer among community colleges reporting to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Learn more about key initiatives below:

• PCC’s 2021 Climate Action Plan
• Sustainability Leadership Council
• Sustainability Education
• Sustainable Operations
• Student Engagement
• Learning Gardens
• Basic Needs & Sustainability Student Leadership Program

PCC Sustainability is a hub to institutionalize sustainability, in line with the College’s mission and Board policy, across the college with an emphasis on three major areas: Education & Outreach, Operations, and Community Impact. Learn more here.

PCC is Bee Campus Certified - part of the early adopters of the program and one of the first colleges to become certified to work together to conserve native pollinators by increasing the abundance of native plants, providing habitat, and reducing the use of pesticides. Students and employees work together to carry out these commitments and make their campus a better place for pollinators.

Health Technology (HT) Building Sustainability Highlights

• 297 solar panels generate an estimated 144,000 kWh annually, powering 14 average US homes
• Pursuing LEED Gold certification with sustainability building features including natural ventilation to using recycled materials throughout construction and design
• Double windows that use two different coatings based on the window's solar orientation to save energy and the bioswale, reducing negative impacts by controlling flooding, reducing erosion and improving air quality
• Sustainable materials such as replaceable carpet tiles and rapidly renewable materials along with low emitting furniture
• Over 4,460 linear feet of wood was salvaged from the original exterior of the building and re-purposed as an interior finish
• More than 90% of construction waste was diverted from landfill through recycling or repurposing.
• Abundant natural light with daylight harvesting controls to minimize energy consumption
• Occupancy sensors throughout
• Reclaimed wood from the exterior
• Green-certified sustainable materials throughout
• Low flow fixtures in bathrooms and at all sink locations
• Insulation rating values 20% better than what is required by the Oregon Energy code
• Greenguard Gold-certified thermal, acoustic insulation, and drywall
• Drought tolerant indigenous plants and trees on the building site
• On-site stormwater mitigation

Registration

• WOHESC Registration process utilizes a 100% paperless ticket system
• Lanyards are recycled from past events and collected at the end of WOHESC for next year re-use

Printing and Signage

• Greatly reduce print programs offering a digital program via event app

Marketing/Communications

• Messaging to attendees on how they can help make the event more sustainable - including bringing their own water bottles and using water refilling stations onsite.

© 2025 | Event by Social Enterprises, Inc.

PO BOX 31039
Portland, OR 97231
Office | 503.226.2377
Toll Free | 1.855.740.8417