Thoreau Center for Sustainability

Photo credit: Richard Barnes

Overview

• Location: San Francisco, CA
• Building type(s): Commercial office
• Renovation of a historic 1899 building, last renovated in 1933
• 73,000 ft2 (6,780 m2)
• Project scope: 4 2-story buildings
  51,100 ft2   (4,750 m2)
  11,300 ft2   (1,050 m2)
  11,300 ft2   (1,050 m2)
  9,820 ft2   (912 m2)
• Urban setting
• Completed April 1996
  This description only covers phase 1 of the renovation, including 4 buildings. Phase 2 will include the remaining 3 buildings.
• Rating: Green Building Challenge

The Thoreau Center for Sustainability, located in the rehabilitated historic wards of the Letterman General Hospital, is the first public/private partnership project completed at the new Presidio National Park. The 73,000 ft2 (6,800 m2) complex is the new home for nonprofit organizations focused on environmental sustainable development issues. This design addresses sustainable development within the constraints of a historic landmark structure.

Environmental Aspects

The most important environmental goal for this project was to prove that it is possible and economically viable to transform and recycle existing historic building resources into new uses for the next century. Historic rehabilitation is a fundamental act of sustainable development.

Owner & Occupancy

• Owned by National Park Service and Thoreau Center Partners, Federal government
• Occupants: Corporation, nonprofit
• Typically occupied by 300 people, 45 hours per person per week

Owned by the National Park Service and Thoreau Center Partners (a public/private partnership), the Thoreau Center houses over a dozen nonprofit organizations, all involved in environmental issues.

Building Programs

Keywords

Efficient lighting, On-site renewable electricity, Benign materials, Salvaged materials, Recycled materials, Certified wood, C&D waste management, Daylighting, Natural ventilation, Low-emitting materials, Indoor air quality monitoring

next topic: Process

Our thanks to the ENERGY STAR program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and to the U.S. Department of Energy, and to BuildingGreen, Inc. for hosting the submission and judging forms.

For more information about the AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Projects, contact AIA/COTE. For help on how to use this Web site, contact .