Walsh looked up, smiled and gave the thumbs up sign. “But it still put a bit of pressure on us to make sure we did everything perfectly,” MacDonald recalls with a grin.

Reaching a new solar milestone
The solar panels, capable of generating almost 30 kilowatts — about 10 percent of the firm’s electricity use — were installed in early 2009. The project pushed Portland General Electric over the five-megawatt mark for customer-owned renewable energy. PGE encourages development of customer-generated solar power and now ranks among the top ten utilities in installed solar power.

Green leaders
The panels further strengthened WCC’s platform as a sustainable business. The company buys 100 percent Clean Wind to run its three-story headquarters in southwest Portland, powers its trucks with bio-diesel and even serves organic coffee to its employees.

Engineering News Record magazine ranked Walsh Construction Co. the nation’s top-producing builder of sustainable multi-family housing. Many of the firm’s clients are budget-constrained, non-profit agencies providing affordable housing. Walsh helps them stretch their dollars while incorporating sustainability into their building or remodeling plans.

Smart business
Because of Oregon’s relatively high incentives and tax credits, the payback on sustainability can be surprisingly short. The solar project cost $281,000 and earned more than $261,000 in incentives and tax credits. In addition to reducing the company’s carbon footprint, it was a smart business move, with a short payback: five years.

Built to last
The company prefers to build with an eye to the long term. That means creating projects that last. Most low-income housing needs an overhaul after a few decades, but making buildings sustainable usually makes them more durable. WCC employees proudly point out that after 50 years in business, every housing complex they’ve built still remains in service.