Designed to last 250 years and producing more energy than it consumes, this building is an impressive physical embodiment of sustainability!
Opened in Seattle on Earth Day in 2013 by the Bullitt Foundation, The Bullitt Center is an office building AND living lab of cutting-edge sustainable design, architecture, energy usage, materials sourcing, public policy and finance. All tenants are engaged by committing to energy and water budgets, leading to the prestigious Living Building certification by the International Living Future Institute – plus 17 (!) other awards 🏆
Here’s just a small glimpse of what makes this building so special:
☀️ 575 solar panels on the roof, along with energy saving measures, cutting the building’s energy consumption to approximately 15% of a typical office property of similar size.
🔥 26 geothermal wells extending 120m into the ground which help heat the building in the winter and keep it cool it in summer. It also features onsite rainwater-to-potable water system and composting toilet system.
🪵 A heavy timber structure, with all lumber certified to standards set by Forest Stewardship Council™, being the first commercial property in the U.S. to earn FSC Project Certification. The building also has no parking spaces – just bike racks!
The Bullitt Center, as CEO Denis Hayes says, is “one of the most energy efficient commercial buildings in the world—a high-performance prototype setting innovative standards for sustainable design and construction, demonstrating that it is possible to create a commercially-viable building with essentially no environmental footprint.”
Let’s go!