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New Alameda headquarters goes 100% electric, and net zero
The Problem With Exceptional Buildings
Patrick Sisson
ARCHITECT MAGAZINE
To truly cut carbon, architects must design better systems, not singular structures.
The new headquarters for biotech firm Exelixis in Alameda, Calif., designed by architecture firm brick. had strong sustainability goals from the start, and sources 100% renewable energy from Alameda Municipal Power
Peter Rumsey, an engineer, energy consultant, and Stanford University lecturer, is helping the growing Bay Area biotech firm Exelixis design a new four-story headquarters in Alameda, Calif., working with the architects at brick. To design the new HQ to net zero standards—the massive office building would have to generate as much power as it uses—would have been cost prohibitive. Typically, Rumsey says, once a building hits four stories, it becomes exceptionally difficult to generate all its power on-site.
Instead, the currently under-construction, all-electric workspace will buy electricity from Alameda Municipal Power, a city-owned utility that can provide 100% renewable energy.
Read the AIA Feature here.
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The Problem With Exceptional Buildings | Patrick Sisson | Architect Magazine
