525 Market Street Awarded USGBC LEED Gold Certification

Cushman & Wakefield's property management team at 525 Market Street (from left to right): Candy Chu, Don Bell, Helen Wong, Chris Fisher, Aline Singman, Mike Walter and Linda Jeong.

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525 Market Street has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The distinction marks the largest-ever Gold level certification for an existing high-rise office building on the U.S. West Coast, at gross square footage of 1,161,736. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Under the direction of the ownership and utilizing Cushman & Wakefield's sustainability practices, the building recently embarked on the LEED certification process to further reduce its carbon footprint. The property underwent major lighting retrofits of lamps and ballasts throughout tenant occupied spaces and common areas as well as mechanical and garage areas. In addition, substantial investments were made in high efficiency upgrades and/or replacements of the building's operating systems, including chillers, boilers and water heaters.

Additional sustainable highlights of 525 Market Streets LEED certification include:

• Retrofits of indoor water fixtures and fittings resulted in 20% reduction of water usage.
• 525 Market Street purchased certified offsite renewable energy equivalent to 50% of its annual energy use.
• The Building and its tenants reuse, recycle and compost more than 70% of the ongoing consumable waste stream. In addition, more than 70% of the waste was diverted from construction from landfill and incineration disposal.
• Outdoor air ventilation rates to all occupied spaces are at least 30% above the minimum rates required, substantially improving indoor air quality for the occupants.
• An effective custodial program was given the highest rating in its category with green cleaning practices incorporating usage of HEPA filtered vacuum cleaners and microfiber dust cloths. 90% of the cleaning products purchased contain high recycled content or meet rigorous EPA and Green Seal standards for sustainability.
• Over 87% of occupants use public transportation and alternative methods of transportation to commute to work.
• The ownership, property management and leasing team have made extensive efforts to educate building occupants about sustainability through an Earth Day Green Fair and educational newsletters promoting LEED practices.

BOMA San Francisco congratulates Cushman & Wakefield's property management team at 525 Market Street for their tenacity and fortitude to acheive LEED Gold certification.  Indeed, while it is relatively easier to design and build a new building to LEED standards, it can be a challenge to take an existing property, such as 525 Market Street, to that level. It is certainly doable, but it requires a committed owner/investor, some capital expenditure, effective implementation by the property management team, supportive vendors, and tenants who are willing to change some of their behaviors to help sustain the environment.