Very Interesting Portland EcoDistrict

http://benetgreen.com/portlands-ecodistrict/

The PSU ecodistrict model has several goals including, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing pressure on large more expensive infrastructure, and localizing business growth.

An ecodistrict would not generate waste. Instead it would find ways to put the by-product from one product to work as the source material for another. For example the power generated by a data center in one building could be used to heat a swimming pool in another. The Portland State University says it already does this to some extent but they would like to take it farther and work with other property owners.

PSU Vice President of Planning and Facilities, Mark Gregory, says this is a pilot project. He believes ecodistricts should be places in cities where people try more costly and innovative strategies before they are implemented citywide.

A similar ecodistrict concept has been used in Malmo, Sweden; Dublin, Ireland; and the Olympic Village in Vancouver, British Columbia.