¬Like the CDC, this courthouse in Eugene, Oregon is a sustainable federal government building. This massive structure is on a site previously occupied by a cannery plant that contributed to water runoff in a climate with 51 inches (about 1 meter) of rainfall each year. Efforts to reduce runoff led to the construction of underground parking, allowing for more landscape, instead of concrete, to surround the building. Moisture sensors that regulate irrigation and plants that can sustain little irrigation also reduce water consumption for the site. Waterless urinals and low flow plumbing fixtures help as well. All in all, this structure reduces water consumption by 40 percent.
Glazing on the structure also insulates heat. Although buildings with such high ceilings are costly to keep warm, a heating system in the floor offers a solution for efficiency. Because heat rises, warming these rooms through the floor helps keep some heat near the floor. To keep the building cool in the winter, architects designed the structure to provide shade for certain areas of the building.
Builders also placed a high priority in using recycled content in such structures that used steel and aluminum.
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