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The Portland Historic Landmarks Commission voted Monday to approve plans for a five-story office building intended to be the city’s first certified living building.

Commissioners voted 4-0 in favor of the PAE Living Building, a 54,000-square-foot mixed-use office building planned for a quarter-block parcel at the corner of Southwest First Avenue and Pine Street in the Skidmore/Old Town Historic District.

The project received design advice in January, at which time commissioners praised the concept and asked for a few small changes in the fifth-floor window layout to better match the classic 19^th century Italianate style found throughout the district.

Designers with ZGF Architects responded with changes including establishing a more clear delineation between floors and extending golden ratio proportions to the top of the building.

The response from commissioners was ultimately what the project team was looking for.

鈥淚 really love the building,鈥� Commissioner Ernestina Fuenmayor said. 鈥淚 think it’s a great addition; if you push yourself you can get great results and I think this is a very good example of that.鈥�

Other small changes included the addition of larger ground-floor canopies and additional details added to the tops of ground-floor windows.

The project team includes PAE Consulting Engineers, which will occupy three floors of the building, as well as developer Gerding Edlen and general contractor Walsh Construction. The structure will feature cross-laminated timber framing and will contain ground-floor retail space along the frontages of Southwest First Avenue and Pine Street. The second through fifth floors will contain office space.

The building will be clad primarily in textured brick veneer, with custom finished aluminum panels, aluminum storefronts at ground level and fiberglass windows above.

Designers aim to achieve the net-zero water and energy efficiency required by the Living Building Challenge through a host of different means.

To earn the certification, the building will in part need to show over the course of at least a year that it produces more energy and water than it consumes. The project team is projecting that 105 percent of the building’s annual energy needs will be produced on-site from solar sources, while energy will be saved through daylighting, triple-paned glazing and other features. Meanwhile, to achieve net zero water, stormwater, and wastewater use, the building will utilize a 50,000-gallon cistern, composting toilets, and urine diversion for fertilizer generation.

鈥淭his is a unique building in that we’re seeking the Living Building Challenge,鈥� said Kathy Berg, a partner at ZGF Architects. 鈥淏ut we’re looking to do so in a way that preserves the characteristics of the district. It’s a pretty exciting opportunity for Portland, it would be the first living building in Portland and one of less than 100 in the world, with full net-zero on energy and water and red-list free materials.鈥�

City requirements for eco-roof standards were waived for the project in order to accommodate an extensive photovoltaic array and drinking water collection equipment that will occupy much of the roof space.

鈥淚f we were to put a green roof up there,鈥� Berg said, 鈥渋t would preclude both possibilities.鈥�

A requirement for at least two Type A loading docks was also waived to preserve ground-floor uses and avoid pedestrian interference.

PAE Consulting Engineers will move roughly 225 employees into the top three floors of the building, while tenants are still being sought for the second floor and retail spaces.

鈥淚t shows our [design advice review] process really does work,鈥� Commissioner Andrew Smith said. 鈥淭hey came in with a project with a really sound concept, and what we got coming back was something that not only simplified, but also clarified. I think it’s going to be a really good addition to the historic district.鈥�

Commissioners Kristen Minor, Annie Mahoney and Wendy Chung were absent Monday.