Very soon now, daylight will slowly begin to peak over the eastern horizon silhouetting Mt. Hood in the distance as light gradually intensifies welcoming in the crisp October morning that will begin the first day of the 2006 CSI NW Region Conference. Just as daylight gradually intensifies, so will the excitement of the CSI NW Region Conference which is being hosted this year by the CSI Portland Chapter, at the Lloyd Center Doubletree Hotel, from October 5th through the 8th. 

The conference theme is transportation as we take “CSI to the MAX” with the help of TriMet, one of our major conference sponsors, who is providing transit passes to come and go, and travel anywhere TriMet goes during the conference. MAX, TriMet's light rail system will be used for several conference events, including the tour Saturday afternoon. Hoffman Construction will host our tour of a LEED Platinum building, the flagship project for OHSU at the River Campus at the Portland South Waterfront development. Architect GBD and Mechanical Engineer Interface have worked together to create a project that features both classic and unique elements for us to see.

• The bio-reacter treats garbage on site and is only the second such installation in the US.
• Photovoltaics installed on the sun shades generate electricity while controlling the natural light that pours into the building.
• A solar trombe wall works with the displaced air system with fin tubes to control the interior environment.
• The Salt Pure system keeps the pool clean with no chlorine.
• Garden terraces provide an outdoor respite for patients and their families
• The atrium welcomes with 66 custom hand-blown globes with a fiber optics display.

Saturday's lunch speaker, Interface Engineering's Andy Frichtl, will explain how to attain “Platinum on a Budget” through application of proven integrated design principles for your next green building project, while achieving high-performance results on a conventional budget as he did at the OHSU River Campus. After learning about the building's many features and how they all work together to provide a Platinum Building the experience will be enhanced by your visit to it via MAX and a trolley ride.. While there we will be able to sneak a look at the Portland Aerial Tram next door. The Portland Aerial Tram, when complete, will connect the city's South Waterfront area with Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) and the Marquam Hill neighborhood surrounding the university. Its completion will introduce yet another mode of transportation to Portland. It will travel a horizontal distance of 3300 feet in a ride planned to last two minutes, 40 seconds. A breath-taking ride to be sure. This year's conference also boasts more learning sessions than ever before, providing greater variety for attendees, with three separate learning tracks. A whole year of continuing education credits for Oregon licensure may be obtain in just one weekend's (Friday and Saturday's) learning sessions, including the hard to get Health Safety and Welfare credits. Take advantage of this opportunity while space is available. Accrue those learning credits early and don't waiting until the last minute.

The pre-conference activities on Thursday are another opportunity to have fun and relax on the beautiful Eastmoreland Golf Course, or take an underground tour of Portland's Shanghai Tunnels to learn some of the not so nice history of Portland, or travel to the “Red Hills” of Dundee to sample some of the best wines Oregon has to offer. Thursday evening join us for an early evening pub and art crawl as you move through the streets of Portland on a scavenger hunt during Portland's First Thursday Festivities. Then there is the “Hospitality Suite” nightly, until midnight, to meet old friends and make new ones. If you're not having fun then you're not at the 2006 CSI NW Region Conference.