Unveiling of Corix Living Wall Supports Ongoing EcoDistrict Growth
Lloyd District celebrated as one of Portland's first EcoDistricts
Thursday, February 9, 2012
PORTLAND, OR — The Portland Trail Blazers celebrated a public-private partnership with the City of Portland, the Portland Development Commission and Corix Utilities through an unveiling of the Corix Living Wall at a press conference at the Rose Garden on Wednesday.
The Corix Living Wall is a two-story interactive display located in the southwest corner of the Rose Garden’s 100-level concourse. The wall was built to help educate and inform the public about Portland EcoDistricts and the positive impact they have on the community. The exhibit features live plants and interactive elements that encourage fans to make a commitment to be ‘all in’ for sustainability.
In 2009, the Portland Sustainability Institute, in partnership with the City of Portland, launched the EcoDistricts Initiative to contribute to the region’s broadening commitment to sustainability. EcoDistricts are neighborhoods with a commitment to improve environmental performance, reduce long-term costs and strengthen community resiliency.
“In Portland, we know that we can get better results by working together instead of separately. In an EcoDistrict, the whole can be a lot more than the sum of the parts,” said Portland Mayor Sam Adams. “Today we celebrate the teamwork of the Lloyd EcoDistrict members, and congratulate the Trail Blazers and Corix for doing their part to engage and gain support for this important community agenda.”
The Rose Garden Arena is part of the Lloyd District, which has established itself as a leader in the evolution of EcoDistricts in Portland. The Lloyd District is the first of five EcoDistricts in Portland with ongoing authority and resources to manage the sustainability agenda of this area.
“The city’s distinctive position as an urban laboratory provides opportunities to test and showcase new technologies and products,” said Portland Development Commission Executive Director Patrick Quinton. “We know it is a powerful draw for entrepreneurs and an educated, creative workforce which is a key to grow jobs in our community.”
The Corix Living Wall and the Lloyd EcoDistrict are the most recent examples of the importance the Trail Blazers place on sustainability. The team made its initial splash in 2010, becoming the first existing sports facility in the world to attain LEED Gold certification. Last year, the Trail Blazers were one of six founding members of the Green Sports Alliance and were also selected for the BEST Award as the most sustainably operated business in Oregon. Last month, the Trail Blazers unveiled 10 electric vehicle charging stations, making the Rose Quarter the largest publicly available charging site in the region. Mensah was invited to share the Trail Blazers sustainability efforts while attending the Women & The Environment Summit at the White House last month.
“The Trail Blazers recognize the power of utilizing sports to engage a fan base and change fan behavior when it comes to the environment,’ said Portland Trail Blazers Chief Operating Officer Sarah Mensah. “The Corix Living Wall furthers our sustainability efforts because of its visibility to the public. A lot of the work we’ve done is behind the scenes. Now, thanks to a great partnership with Corix and the city, we’re able to provide an interactive and informative exhibit that fans can engage in and learn from.”
Corix Utilities is a fully integrated provider of essential utility infrastructure products, services and systems, including those for water, wastewater and sustainable energy. The Canadian-based company was chosen by the City of Portland to provide the infrastructure for the shared thermal energy system at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
“We are proud to partner with the Trail Blazers and the City of Portland, and feel it is a great fit. Portland’s ‘We Build Green Cities’ initiative aligns very well with our vision to build a world of sustainable communities,” said Corix Utilities Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Eric van Roon. “The Corix Living Wall gives us the opportunity to inform the public of our future plans to build EcoDistricts in Portland and also encourages others to take steps to live in a more sustainable way.”
Public tours of the Corix Living Wall are available by appointment by visiting trailblazers.com/sustainability and clicking the ‘Schedule a Tour’ link.
About Corix Utilities
The Corix Group of Companies specializes in products and utility solutions for sustainable infrastructure in the water, wastewater and energy sectors and provides field metering services for clients across North America. Corix has over 2000 employees in 60 locations across North America, and operates with the vision to Build a World of Sustainable Communities. Please visit www.corix.com for more information.
About the Portland Trail Blazers
Members of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Portland Trail Blazers were founded in 1970 and purchased by Paul G. Allen in 1988. The team's rich heritage includes 29 playoff appearances, three trips to the NBA Finals, an NBA championship in 1977 and a commitment to community service and sustainability. With a corporate mission to make it better in the community, the Trail Blazers strive to help children and their families throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington live, learn and play. The Trail Blazers are the first and only professional sports franchise to receive the prestigious National Points of Light Award for excellence in corporate and community service. The Trail Blazers home arena, the Rose Garden, became the first existing professional sports venue in the world to receive LEED Gold Certification. The team is also one of the founding members of the Green Sports Alliance. For more information, visit www.trailblazers.com.
About Twenty Four Seven
Twenty Four Seven is a media-agnostic idea agency with offices in Portland and New York. They offer strategy, experience design and marketing to leading brands globally. To learn more, visit www.twentyfour7.com.
For more information, contact:
Jim Taylor, Trail Blazers
Phone: 503-956-8456
Kris Koivisto, Trail Blazers
Phone: 503-797-9783
