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Portland could soon have a facility similar to the in England, according to Colin Sears, sustainable industries manager for the Portland Development Commission.

The facility in England opened in 2005 as a place to construct buildings using innovative sustainable methods. Portland’s facility would be similar and would be used to educate the public about the benefits of sustainable design.

The facility would be called Portland’s Green Innovation Park and is in the early planning stages. PDC members will meet with local building professionals in Portland this month and then travel to Watford, England, to see the BRE Innovation Park. A large portion of the trip will be to find out how financially feasible a project like this would be in Portland.

“Ironically, with the housing market in decline, it becomes an opportune time to look at new ways to explore innovation with the private sector,” Sears said. “The purpose of the park is to demonstrate cutting edge residential green building techniques.”

Sears expects to have a report on the feasibility of the park completed by January. If it moves forward, one of the park’s first projects could be by Fagerdala, a Swedish company that announced plans this month to test its Fagerdala Hem building system in Portland. The Hem system uses a combination of plastic and cement to create premade floors, walls and roofs for homes that are lightweight and energy efficient.

Fagerdala is also working with the PDC to find a site for a manufacturing facility to produce the Hem system, Sears said. The company is currently looking at suitable sites within Portland’s urban renewal areas to try and take advantage of tax increment financing for tenant improvements. A site is expected to be chosen in the next two to four months, Sears said.