Officials in Multnomah County, Oregon have unveiled the new East County Library, a two-story, 95,000 square-foot mass timber building that features a vast array of new amenities, including more than 200,000 books, a 200-seat auditorium, a creative learning room featuring a number of 3D printers and a rooftop terrace with a view of nearby Mount Hood.
Topping it all off is a 187.62 kW solar installation, featuring 318 Qcells modules, CPS inverters and Sunmodo racking. The installation was completed by local contractor RJ Ramos, with additional electrical work by Mill Plain Electric and Advanced Energy Systems.
The solar installation and mass timber construction are key features in the library’s sustainability plan as it pursues a LEED Gold certification for the building. Other sustainable features include radiant floor heating, air-source heat pumps and passive solar design that includes substantial daylighting from tall windows and north-facing skylights.
Image: Ben Zientara, pv magazine USA
The East County Library is part of a series of new and improved libraries throughout the Portland metro area, projects that were set in motion in November 2020 when county voters approved a $387 million capital bond measure to build and renovate library facilities across the county.
Design and engineering for the East County Library building was completed by Holst Architecture in collaboration with Adjaye Associates and PAE Engineers, with energy efficiency design assistance from the area’s utility-funded nonprofit Energy Trust of Oregon. Fortis Construction was the general contractor.
Image: Multnomah County Library
The site for the new building was acquired in 2023, with site preparation commencing later that year and construction continuing through late winter in 2026. The grand opening for the East County Library was held on May 16, 2026.
The site was previously a park-and-ride lot situated close to the Gresham City Hall and the nearby Gresham Station shopping center, named because of its proximity to a stop of the MAX light rail train Blue Line, which carries passengers east and west through downtown Portland, on a 33-mile route across the region.
Image: Multnomah County Library
Funds from the 2020 bond measure have also been used to renovate and rebuild several other libraries in Multnomah County, and many of the projects include solar installations.
A Library spokesperson shared information about three such installations with pv magazine USA, touting a 600-panel solar system on the roof of the library’s 73,000 square-foot operations center, and large installations on the new Holgate library and the recently-expanded Albina library.
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