Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) marked a milestone in its corporate history with the grand opening celebration of its new nine-storey headquarters building on its corporate campus in North Portland, Ore. City and State officials, as well as various community leaders, were on hand at the event to celebrate the company’s commitment to helping Portland grow, as it has done for over 70 years since the company’s founding in the Northwest.
“As a leader in the industry with a reputation for high standards in engineering and sustainable practices, we felt it was important to have our headquarters campus reflect those values,” said Martin Daum, president and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America. “As one of Portland’s largest employers, we will now have a state-of-the-art work environment to inspire the great talent in our organization and to continue contributing to long-term prosperity in Portland.”
The total headquarters project required a $150 million investment by Daimler Trucks North America. Work began in April 2014 to clear the land and construction began in July 2014. The new 268,000 square-foot corporate headquarters building serves two distinct functions: to merge DTNA employees currently located in offices separated by the Willamette River and to accommodate new positions in Portland that the company anticipates it will need in conjunction with future business growth.
"With the new headquarters building, Daimler achieved what only one percent of office buildings nationwide can claim: the design energy efficiency is sky high with an Energy Star score of 99 out of 100,” said Chief Sustainability Strategist Nicole Isle of Glumac, a sustainable design engineering firm focused on energy efficiency, water conservation, and improving the indoor occupant health. "The new Daimler building is targeting LEED Platinum certification, a rigorous green building goal that Daimler was committed to from the start. It's a rare achievement with only two corporate headquarters buildings in Portland having achieved Platinum Certification.”
Through each stage of the project, DTNA placed a priority on creating an environmentally-conscious plan with the goal to achieve LEED Platinum Certification, the most prestigious certification available through the U.S. Green Building Council. The company anticipates that it will receive the certification later this year. From the demolition, through the construction, and continuing on to the building’s long-term operations, DTNA made decisions to support sustainable practices, not only for the company, but also for the community. For example, as part of the project and in partnership with the Port of Portland and Business Oregon, DTNA reconnected the greenway trail that runs through the property along the Willamette River and significantly enhanced its natural beauty for the community’s enjoyment.
Other improvements to the company’s headquarters campus include the construction of a new four-story parking garage, including electric charging stations. The company also built a new, landscaped surface parking lot on the corner of N. Channel Avenue and Anchor Street, and it is in the process of bringing small businesses to the shopping center across the street on N. Channel Avenue that will serve a variety of needs, such as a new healthcare centre.
All of the company’s main partners for the project are based in Portland, including Ankrom Moisan for architectural design, Hoffman Corporation for construction contracting, and inici group for project management. DTNA also achieved its goal of utilizing minority, women and emerging small businesses (MWESB) for up to 20 percent of the construction work for which there were qualifying candidates.
