Seattle’s Bullitt Center, a project of the Bullitt Foundation, has been designed to be the most energy efficient commercial building on the planet and put Seattle on “the forefront of the green building movement,” according to the project’s website.
With the first floor already leased to the International Living Future Institute and the University of Washington Integrated Design Lab, the remaining five floors of this 50,000-sf green building are now available to lease in advance of its planned opening this spring.
The Bullitt Center expects to achieve the goals of the Living Building Challenge (v2.0), the world’s most strenuous sustainability benchmark. Certification requires a structure to be energy and water self-sufficient for 12 consecutive months and meet 20 imperatives within seven “Petals,” or performance areas.
Petal One – Site: The location supports lifestyle that is friendly to pedestrians, bicycles, and public transit.
Petal Two – Water: Rainwater is collected on the roof and stored underground to be used building-wide.
Petal Three – Energy: The solar array will produce sufficient electricity for the building’s tenants.
Petal Four – Health: Promoting health for the building’s occupants, it features stairways that are pleasing alternatives to elevators, operable windows, and facilities that encourage occupants to walk and share resources.
Petal Five – Materials: The Bullitt Center will not contain hazardous materials from the “Red List,” such as PVC, lead, cadmium, mercury, or hormone-mimicking substances.
Petal Six – Equity: Fresh air and daylight will be available to all workers and the construction team has been selected using the Community High Road Agreement as enacted by the city of Seattle.
Petal Seven – Beauty: The architecture has been designed to help beautify the surrounding area, including a green roof, large structural timbers, native plants, an innovative photovoltaic array, and a revitalized neighboring pocket park.
The Building Team for the $30 million facility includes architect Miller Hull Partnership and contractor Schuchart, as well as Point32, PAE Consulting Engineers, Luma Lighting Design, 2020 Engineering, and Berger Partnership.
(http://www.jetsongreen.com/2013/03/the-worlds-greenest-commercial-building-now-leasing-for-spring-2013-opening.html)
Related Stories
| Feb 15, 2011
Iconic TWA terminal may reopen as a boutique hotel
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey hopes to squeeze a hotel with about 150 rooms in the space between the old TWA terminal and the new JetBlue building. The old TWA terminal would serve as an entry to the hotel and hotel lobby, which would also contain restaurants and shops.
| Feb 15, 2011
New Orleans' rebuilt public housing architecture gets mixed reviews
The architecture of New Orleans’ new public housing is awash with optimism about how urban-design will improve residents' lives—but the changes are based on the idealism of an earlier era that’s being erased and revised.
| Feb 15, 2011
LAUSD commissions innovative prefab prototypes for future building
The LA Unified School District, under the leadership of a new facilities director, reversed course regarding prototypes for its new schools and engaged architects to create compelling kit-of-parts schemes that are largely prefabricated.
| Feb 15, 2011
New 2030 Challenge to include carbon footprint of building materials and products
Architecture 2030 has just broadened the scope of its 2030 Challenge, issuing an additional challenge regarding the climate impact of building products. The 2030 Challenge for Products aims to reduce the embodied carbon (meaning the carbon emissions equivalent) of building products 50% by 2030.
| Feb 15, 2011
New Urbanist Andrés Duany: We need a LEED Brown rating
Andrés Duany advocates a "LEED Brown" rating that would give contractors credit for using traditional but low cost measures that are not easy to quantify or certify. He described these steps as "the original green," and "what we did when we didn't have money." Ostensibly, LEED Brown would be in addition to the current Silver, Gold and Platinum ratings.
| Feb 15, 2011
AIA on President Obama's proposed $1 billion investment in energy conservation
The President’s budget increases the value of investment in energy conservation in commercial buildings by roughly $1 billion, reports AIA 2011 President Clark Manus, FAIA. The significant increase from the current tax deduction of $1.80 per sq. ft. now on the books is an increase for which the AIA has been advocating in order to encourage energy conservation.
| Feb 14, 2011
Sustainable Roofing: A Whole-Building Approach
According to sustainability experts, the first step toward designing an energy-efficient roofing system is to see roof materials and systems as an integral component of the enclosure and the building as a whole. Earn 1.0 AIA/CES learning units by studying this article and successfully completing the online exam.
| Feb 11, 2011
Four Products That Stand Up to Hurricanes
What do a panelized wall system, a newly developed roof hatch, spray polyurethane foam, and a custom-made curtain wall have in common? They’ve been extensively researched and tested for their ability to take abuse from the likes of Hurricane Katrina.
