By George Denise, CFM, CPM, FMA, RPA, Cushman & Wakefield
November 2008
The building that stands at 601 Townsend Street in San Francisco has witnessed an amazing century of change. Constructed in 1905 for the Pacific Hardware and Steel Company, it later housed Baker & Hamilton, a firm that found its start selling shovels to minors during the Gold Rush. The building survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire and was central to the city’s rail-distribution network that boomed in the 1950’s. Today, this brick and mortar landmark, still recognizable to many as the Baker & Hamilton Building, continues its role in supporting rapidly growing industry as a major center of operations for global software company Adobe Systems Incorporated. The most recent milestone in 601 Townsend’s evolution, achieved on April 13, 2008, was earning platinum-level certification as a green building through the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Existing Building program. In fact, 601 Townsend was the first platinum LEED for Existing in San Francisco; it is Adobe’s fifth LEED certified building and the company’s fourth platinum, making Adobe the first organization in the world to have four LEED certifications at the platinum level.
One of Adobe’s guiding principles is the belief that commitment to environmentally friendly operations is not only the right thing to do — it makes good business sense. Over the past several years Adobe has implemented a series of green and sustainable initiatives in many of its buildings with impressive results. The 601 Townsend Street building is a prime example of Adobe’s environmental commitment.
Adobe partners with facilities management firm Cushman & Wakefield to provide services for all of its sites, including daily operations of this historic San Francisco location. Cushman & Wakefield is one of the world’s largest third-party real estate management specialists with an impressive sustainability background of its own, including numerous Energy Star labels and green building certifications.
This same team manages Adobe’s adjacent property, 625 Townsend Street, and has incorporated lessons learned into the facilities protocols employed there. When 625 Townsend was remodeled in 2006, it was certified through the USGBC’s LEED for Commercial Interiors program.
With nearly 700 employees, 253,000 square-feet of space, and an official designation by the National Register of Historic Places, 601 Townsend presents a facilities challenge of no small magnitude. Together, Adobe and Cushman & Wakefield have met this challenge, achieving LEED certification for 601 Townsend, and furthering a vision for a sustainable future.
Energy Conservation
601 Townsend has earned an Energy Star score of 98 on a scale of 1 to 100. This high score was achieved through the implementation of almost two dozen energy and energy-related projects. Simply optimizing the static pressure of the building has resulted in an annual savings of over $50,000. Installing 1,100 watt stoppers motion-activated power strips at desks to turn off computers and lamps when not in use saves $41,000 a year and more than 300,000 kWh.
Solid-Waste Diversion
Adobe installed side-saddle waste baskets in every office and every workstation. Side-saddles allow for immediate separation of recyclable and non-recyclable material and increase the efficiency of Adobe’s waste management program. Adobe has also expanded its cafeteria recycling program, increasing the size and capacity of its recycling station and implemented composting. These efforts have increased waste diversion from 23% to 86%, for a 300% decrease in solid waste being sent to landfill sites.
Green Cleaning
Adobe has set stringent guidelines for janitorial practices, facilitating this by partnering with vendors and service providers who share Adobe’s values. This helps ensure that vendors are not only capable of adhering to Adobe’s policies, but are experienced enough in these practices to maintain the high level of sustainability required by Adobe.
- All outside vendors are required to use Green-Seal GS-37 cleaning products or equivalent
- Janitorial equipment must meet requirements that minimize the use of chemicals, reduce strain on janitorial staff, improve indoor air quality, lower noise levels, and create low-to-zero emissions
- Adobe has implemented a custodial training program requiring at least 15 hours of hands-on training for all janitorial staff, annually
As a leader at the apex of the technology curve, Adobe thrives on innovation. Combining its efforts with other companies at the forefront of the sustainable movement has led to a shift in custodial dynamics. Adding items like lightweight, ergonomic back-pack vacuums, micro-fiber dust mops, and fine-particulate filters improves the quality of service as well as the impact on the health of Adobe’s service providers and employees. Not only is the building cleaner, it is easier to keep clean.
Other Initiatives
Adobe has implemented a series of standards to maintain its current level of sustainability. These include minimums for recycling (75% of all construction waste must be recycled), indoor air quality standards, and requirements for maintaining recycled content levels in products and purchases. Trash bags must contain a minimum recycled content and 60% of all office product purchases contain recycled content. Adobe also requires all materials installed in its building to meet strict green specifications. Wood from the buildings previous furnishings was re-used in the construction and decoration of its current interior decor. Herman Miller and Steelcase office furnishings incorporate cradle-to-cradle sustainable design and content and further improves indoor air quality.
Throughout Adobe’s San Francisco campus, .5 gallon-per-minute aerators have been installed on every faucet, facilitating a 30% reduction in water consumption, and waterfree urinals have been installed to reduce water use even further.
Adobe has also implemented an alternative transportation program. Employees receive vouchers for transit services, railways, and buses — its south of Market location is adjacent to these transit hubs. Programs are in place to help employees find, create, and utilize carpooling, and Adobe has also developed accommodations for bicycling.
Conclusions
Adobe is committed to its sustainable efforts. As more technologies and practices come to bear on building management and facilities operations, Adobe is poised to continue to develop and implement sustainable initiatives, maintain the integrity of its state-of-the-art building operations and reduce expenses. At the same time it is shrinking its environmental footprint and is exemplifying corporate citizenry.
At the beginning of the 20th century, 601 Townsend housed a company that had positioned itself at the heart of the emerging hardware industry. Today, a century later, it is now home to one of the 21st century pioneers of the software industry and a company at the forefront of the green building movement helping to create a better tomorrow.