Eric Ridenour teaches the Green Buildings I (USP 529) course in the Real Estate Certificate Program. He brings both professional experience and an academic approach to this exciting and evolving field. He challenges students to think pragmatically and act with vision in all aspects of their work.
Mr. Ridenour is also an Associate, Project Architect and Urban Designer with SERA Architects of Portland. He has over fourteen years experience in both architecture and community and campus planning on projects throughout the Northwest. Eric was a key member of SERA's team for the new Aquatics Addition to East Portland Community Center, a LEED Platinum project. Currently is active in working on the concept of EcoDistricts, an emerging approach to linking high performance buildings with next-generation infrastructure, such as Smart Grids, greywater loops, and district energy.
Eric has worked on many building types, including: fire stations, a convention center, golf/resort, retail, affordable housing, housing-retail mixed use (at Orenco Station), a dental office, and single family homes. He has played a central role in planning projects including: Wilder new community master plan (Newport, OR), Villebois and Crescent Village master plans and campus master plans for Pacific University (Forest Grove, OR), SOU (Ashland, OR) and WOU (Monmouth, OR). Mr. Ridenour has also served as co-chair of the Portland Branch of Cascadia Green Building Council. He has worked on CEQA Environmental Impact Reports as well as transportation planning studies. He holds a Masters in Architecture from the University of Oregon and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Green Buildings I is an elective course in the Certificate in Real Estate Development program. The course offers an overview of contemporary green building practices, as well as the design and development processes essential to their success. The emphasis will be on strategies that have the highest economic return and/or the greatest environmental benefits. The full cycle of the built environment will be considered, from planning and design through construction and operation, and the end of use for a building.
The course includes sessions devoted to the environmental aspects of energy, water use and materials choices, as well as the community context of a building project and how it affects environmental performance. Specific design strategies with multiple positive impacts are analyzed in some detail, such as daylight design, energy conservation, and site layout.
email Professor Ridenour - Full Course Syllabus (PDF)