A Solid Foundation
The California Environmental Protection Agency has a mandate to conserve fiscal resources and a mission to protect the environment. LEED© for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) allows them to do both.
The Joe Serna Jr. California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) Headquarters Building in downtown Sacramento is the city’s largest high-rise real estate project. The 25-story, 950,000-square-foot office building was built in 2000 by developer Thomas Properties Group, LLC in a public-private partnership with the City of Sacramento. Cal/EPA incorporates the latest green design and engineering principles to be sustainable yet economically competitive.
After it opened, Thomas Properties Group sought a valid, comprehensive way of comparing the Cal/EPA facility to other projects within and outside their portfolio. LEED-EB offered the tools to recognize and verify its ongoing sustainable performance. With some refinements and expansions to its as-designed features, Cal/EPA became the first LEED-EB Platinum certified building in 2004.
Thomas Properties invested $500,000 to make efficiency up-grades exceeding standard capital improvements to equipment, operations and employee practices. These improvements paid for themselves in less than one year, generating $610,000 in annual savings.
Project Results
At Cal/EPA, Thomas Properties turns process improvements routine upgrades into opportunities to optimize resource efficiency that save the tenant money and reduce pollution in the surrounding community.
Increased Asset Value
Improved operational performance, indoor systems, and management practices help to attract and retain tenants and increase asset value. Cal/EPA calculates annual operational savings of $1.00 per square foot compared to the downtown Sacramento average for Class A office buildings. Using a 8% capitalization rate, the annual cost savings have increased the asset value of the building by nearly $12 million.
Decreased Operating Costs
Operational costs are significantly lower at Cal/EPA due to increased water and energy efficiency and reductions in waste disposal costs. Cal/EPA is landscaped with native, drought-resistant grasses, plants, and trees, which minimize storm water runoff and reduce heat build up. The building features low-flow toilets, water-free urinals, and water-efficient fixtures. These measures have decreased exterior water use by 50 percent and interior water use by 20 percent.
Energy savings at the Cal/EPA building are attributable to the highly efficient HVAC and lighting systems as well as a plate and frame heat exchanger that reduces on/off cycling of the chiller equipment, extends equipment life, and saves energy. All totaled, the Cal/EPA building operates 34 percent more efficiently than California’s 1998 energy code and was given an energy star© rating of 96 (on a 1-100 scale) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2002.
Significant operational savings are coming from some unconventional sources. Craig Sheehy, Director of Property Management for Thomas Properties, initiated a vermicomposting program which diverts over 10 tons of waste from landfills and saves $10,000 annually. Other non-traditional improvements include the elimination of garbage can liners and the use of reusable cloth bags in centrally located recycling bins saving $60,000 and $20,000 per year, respectively.
Environmental Leadership
Cal/EPA sets a sustainable benchmark for other organizations to follow. Photovoltaic rooftop panels help power the building, and additional energy use is offset through the purchase of Green-certified power. Employee incentives and facility layout encourage walking, biking, carpooling, and driving alternative fueled vehicles. The waste reduction program – which boasts a 56 percent occupant recycling rate – keeps more than 200 tons of garbage out of landfills every year. Material selection is based on the recycled content of the product as well as its durability and adjustability to space changes. Salvaged materials are used whenever possible.
A Productive Workplace
A healthy indoor environment is paramount to having productive employees while reducing absenteeism and improving employee retention. Cal/EPA boasts an indoor environment free of smoke and chemicals with state-of-the-art ventilation and lighting systems that maintain optimal temperature and illumination levels. More than 80 percent of office space is filled with natural light, while wooded pathways provide employees with refreshing places to walk and eat lunch.
| LEED-EB Benefit Highlights | |
|---|---|
| Action Area | Annual Savings |
| Systems calibration, monitoring, commissioning, and maintenance for energy performance | $190,000 |
| After-hours heating and lighting controls | $100,000 |
| Exterior lighting systems | $9,500 |
| Landscaping and grounds management | $95,000 |
| Water-efficient landscaping, restrooms, and cooling cycles | $19,000 |
| Elimination of garbage can liners | $60,000 |
| Collection and storage of recyclables | $48,000 |
| Occupant recycling | $29,000 |
| Reduced landfill disposal costs | $10,000 |
| Entryway cleaning to prevent particle and dirt buildup | $9,500 |
LEED-EB in Practice
LEED-EB maximizes operational efficiency while minimizing environmental impacts. The flexibility of the LEED-EB Green Building Rating System allows building owners and operators to create strategies focused on their environmental performance goals.
The LEED-EB certification standard promotes improved practices in:
- exterior building site maintenance programs
- water and energy use
- environmentally preferred products for cleaning and alterations
- waste stream management
- indoor environmental quality
- reducing the environmental impact of a building throughout its functional life cycle.