Post-occupancy Study of Green Features in Multifamily Projects

GGLO, the architects behind South Lake Union's Alcyone and Capitol Hill's Broadway Crossing, and several other notable projects in the Northwest, completed a post-occupancy study on some of its green multifamily projects. Here's what they found:

The post-occupancy study confirmed sustainable buildings come at an almost negligible cost increase over conventional buildings, and result in measurable utility savings. Of the three buildings in our study designed to LEED standards, the cost increases ranged [from only] 0.5 percent to 1 percent of the total hard and soft construction costs. Financial incentives available from a variety of sources cut cost increases in half and the yearly savings on utility bills averaged another 1 percent. After one year of occupancy, the green design features actually begin earning the project money. (Emph. added)

If knowing that buildings account for nearly 40% of green house gas emissions isn't enough to convince developers to convert, the numbers should. Especially considering tenants will pay more for green, vacancy rates are lower, and the property value gets a boost. See the rest of the article on GGLO's study and more studies from the city.

Vulcan has even gone as far as making green its preeminent marketing tool in promoting South Lake Union. If you've trudged down Mercer Street, you've likely seen their WhatsGreen.com signage. If you go to the website, you'll find a map of everything green in SLU, and see that South Lake Union is trying to become one of the first certified green neighborhoods in the United States by participating in the LEED-ND pilot. Looks like the smart folks at Vulcan ran the numbers.

Inhabit Modular Housing in West Lake Union

Photo: Seattle P-I

DJC ($) reports that Unico Properties is planning its first actual implementation of its modular housing concept introduced last fall on top of the Rainier Square building downtown called "inhabit" (pictured above). The project is planned for 1701 Dexter Ave in West Lake Union.

The P-I ran an article back in October about the pre-fab units one Unico official called the "the iPhone equivalent for housing". The projects have several green features including eco-friendly construction materials, efficient heating and cooling systems and other energy saving features. Developer Unico is reportedly researching several other urban in-fill sites in areas such as Wallingford, Fremont, First Hill and Capitol Hill. The units will be priced at the higher end of middle market initially and may move to the low end as the novelty effect wears off.


It's definitely a creative response to the rising costs of land and construction. If Unico is willing and able to pass on some of these savings to tenants, the inhabit units would be a welcome change of pace from the luxury apartment craze (and more) in terms of affordability as well as design.

For more information see Unico's website.

Weber + Thompson Headquarters

Green Building Elements reports that architecture and planning firm Weber + Thompson will be moving into its new headquarters on April 4, located at the intersection of Thomas and Terry. You wouldn't think an architect designing its headquarters would conceal its most exceptional feature, a green courtyard, but it's actually more function than form:

The most innovative feature of the building is its passive cooling design; the building will not be air conditioned at all.

The 40,000 sq. ft. structure will be organized around a central courtyard. This will make for shallower interior floor plates — only 36 feet across — affording natural lighting and cross ventilation to all workstations. Operable windows will allow staff members to actively manage their environment, and carbon dioxide sensors attached to exterior wall louvers will help to regulate air quality.

And check out the brand new LEED level that's even higher than Platinum, Protactinium!

Rendering Roundup

Stewart St. Hotel

As originally reported on Cosmo Seattle, a 51 story, 1200-room hotel, convention and meeting space has been proposed to replace the Greyhound station on 9th and Stewart which is a registered historic building. The developer is shooting for LEED Platinum certification, with green roofs, green walls, and a wicked water feature:

A public plaza is located at corner of 9th and Stewart. This sense of place is further defined with a grand gesture of cutting a hole through the convention center building to connect people vertically to each other and to the sky. The oculus will also be a celebration of ‘Seattle rain’ as runoff from the roof area is brought down to the water feature located below in the plaza in an elegant and beautiful manner. The water feature may act as retention before it is treated and re-circulated through the building, educating the public on sustainable practices.

Groundbreaking is up to three years away and it won't be completed until 2013. See Greg's take on Smarter Neighbors or the early design review for more on this building.

Trophy Building

Forward thinking architect/developer Pb Elemental plans to erect a 440' residential tower on the 2,900 sq. ft. parcel jammed between the Downtown Emergency Services Center and the Marriott SpringHill Suites on Howell and Denny. SLOG raises a number of concerns, including a loophole which allows the radical design to skip the design review process because the building only has 19 units, one less than the threshold. Hugeasscity has a different take, heaping praise on a design that's so uncharacteristic for an architecturally-staid Seattle.

Amazon Headquarters

In stark contrast to the designs pictured above is architect Callison's first rendition of Amazon's headquarters building on Boren and Thomas, to be presented at the Early Design Guidance meeting on April 2. Since they were able to go up to 160 feet, it would be nice if they treated us with an interesting skyline, alas. Hugeass has some more fresh ideas.

If You Build It...

Tonight the city will review developer CarrAmerica's design proposal for a huge biotech campus consisting of three six-story buildings in West Lake Union. See SLOG for more details.

The Blume Co. is progressing with 'The Yale Campus', 776,000 sq. ft. of office, biotech and retail space on Mercer and Eastlake.

And in case you've been living under a rock, Amazon.com is moving its headquarters to South Lake Union. The online retailer has agreed to lease up to 1.6 million sq. ft. in up to 11 buildings to be developed by Vulcan and Schnitzer West. The Seattle City Council changed the land-use code to allow building heights up to 165 ft. or 12 stories in exchange for $6.4M in affordable housing and other benefits. Vulcan will also develop for LEED Silver or Gold certification.