Innovation in harmony with the environment

The Bowes Center was built with the community and environment in mind. The project’s design and construction complies with San Francisco’s groundbreaking green building ordinance. Below are a few highlights of the sustainable strategies implemented in the project.

Location and Transportation

• With a Walk Score of 100 out of 100 the Bowes Center is considered a “walker’s paradise”. Occupants and residents can run daily errands without any need for single-occupancy vehicle.
• To promote bicycling, improve public health, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation to and from the building, the Bowes Center has 174 secure and covered bicycle parking spaces for residents, employees and students.

Sustainable Sites

• The Bowes Center features carefully selected reflective roofing and pavement material to minimize effects on microclimates and human and wildlife habitats by reducing heat islands.

Water Efficiency

• The Bowes Center anticipates to reduce outdoor water use by 74% below EPA WaterSense baseline through plant species selection and irrigation system efficiency.
• The Bowes Center anticipates to reduce indoor water use by 36% below EPA baseline through high efficiency flush and flow fixtures.

Energy & Atmosphere

• The Bowes Center anticipates to reduce annual energy costs by 16.9%.
• One of the ways the Bowes Center saves energy is by utilizing a low window-to -wall ratio. Most high-rise residential development in the area uses significantly higher proportions of glazing. The energy model helped determine the impact of WWR on energy use early in design. As a result, glazing was minimized in the residential portions of the building to allow for a higher WWR in the performance hall where view and daylight is more critical.

Materials and Resources

• Dedicated areas for compost and recycling materials like mixed paper, cardboard, glass, plastics, and metals are provided in accessible locations to waste haulers and building occupants.
• 80.49% of construction and demolition waste was diverted from the landfill.

Indoor Environmental Quality

• Indoor air quality and human health were important considerations during the design process. In order to ensure optimal indoor air quality, the project was designed to meet and exceed the minimum outside air requirements set by ASHRAE 62.1-2010. Increased ventilation rates reduce concentrations of carbon dioxide produced by occupants and VOCs emitted from recently installed construction materials and furniture.
• To minimize occupant exposure to hazardous particulates and chemical pollutants, the Bowes Center includes permanent entryway systems at all regularly used exterior entrances to the building. These systems track dirt and debris from outside so that they do not enter the building’s interior.
• All spaces where hazardous chemicals are stored, such as housekeeping areas and janitors closets, are sufficiently exhausted to create negative pressure, designed with full partitions, and have self-closing doors. This ensures that there is no crosscontamination of air between these rooms and adjacent spaces.
• The Bowes Center prohibits smoking in the building and within 25 feet of entries, outdoor air intakes and operable windows to maintain better indoor air quality. This policy is communicated through permanent signage around the project site.