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Green  arhitect and firms

Architect magazine released its second annual ranking of green architecture firms with its May issue and Portland — along with Chicago — has two firms in the top 10.

Sera Architects of Portland made the No. 3 spot on the list. The firm behind many of the cities greenest projects, including the planned Oregon Sustainability Center (planned by Sera in partnership with GBD Architects) which aims to be a net-zero high rise and the overhaul of the Edith Green Wendell Wyatt Federal Building, received the magazine’s highest ranking (six out of six points) for green culture. Architect reports that Sera averages between 60 percent and 79 percent of its projects achieving LEED certification.

“The common thread among many of our top projects is that they are game changers,” said Clark Brockman, associate principal at Sera Architects. “We’re developing new tools that we didn’t even know we needed.”

Brockman said Sera started going green in 2002 though the Natural Step program. He adds that green leadership is strong throughout the industry thanks to strong national leadership and the success of the LEED program.

Zimmer Gunsul Frasca, or ZGF, Architects came in at No. 10 on the list. The company’s sustainability-oriented work in Portland includes the rain garden at the Oregon Convention Center and the planned Port of Portland headquarters, along with its own office at Twelve West in downtown Portland. The magazine reports that ZGF’s work is between 40 percent and 59 percent LEED certified and that its culture is also solidly green with six out of six points.

The top green firm is Perkins + Will of Chicago with between 80 percent and 90 percent of its work LEED certified. No. 9 on the list, DLR Group of Omaha, Neb., has an office in downtown Portland.