Northwest Maritime Center

Port Townsend, Washington

Pioneering the Ocean for Sustainable Building Systems

Located on the Port Townsend waterfront, the Northwest Maritime Center includes two buildings that house retail and office space, meeting rooms, a small commercial kitchen, a flexible classroom, a boatbuilding shop, and a kayak/canoe livery. Designed to support hands-on maritime education and community engagement, the facility balances function with sustainability. The project earned LEED® Gold certification and was recognized with regional and national ASHRAE Technology Awards. At the time of completion, it operated at over 35% lower energy use than comparable buildings, with a metered Energy Use Index (EUI) of just 31 kBtu/SF/yr.

Ecotope provided mechanical and plumbing design, along with LEED and sustainability consulting. A standout feature of the project is its ocean-source heat pump system, which uses titanium heat exchangers installed beneath the pier to draw thermal energy from the surrounding seawater. A closed-loop water system circulates throughout the buildings, providing efficient heating, cooling, and domestic hot water via variable-speed heat pumps and radiant floor distribution. The system demonstrates how site-specific strategies and advanced mechanical design can deliver resilient, low-energy performance in a coastal environment.

Learn more about this project here:

• Currents of the Past. ASHRAE High Performing Buildings Magazine, Summer 2012.