buildingsnews jan:feb

BUILDINGS NEWSBay Area

January/February 2014

NEW CODES:

Get Out Your

Measuring Tape

Is LEED v4

Worth the

Effort?

New BOMA San FranciscoPresident:

Why Do Women Make

Great Property

Managers?


Features

Associations Spotlight

The Exciting China-

California Connection

Why Do Women

Make Such

Great Property

Managers?

5

Does Your Building Meet New

ADA Code Requirements?17

New LEED 4 — What

You Need to Know7

New LED

Lighting

Products

& Strategies

12

18

News from SPUR (page 16) and BOMA SF (page 17).

Bay Area Buildings News Team

Zachary Brown, CBREBob Eaton, Eaton Hospitality InvestmentsNancy Gille, REAL SystemsDavid Hysinger, San Francisco State

University College of BusinessRich Lerner, Construction ConsultantKatherine A. Mattes, Real Estate ConsultantCarlos Santamaria, Glenborough LLC

Editorial Board

Advertising Information

Henry Eason, Editor and Publisher

[email protected] Eason, Associate Publisher & Art Director

[email protected]

© Copyright 2014 Eason Communications LLC425 Market Street, Suite 2200San Francisco, CA 94105 • 415.242.5244

Ellen Eason, [email protected]

Turns out the Chinese symbol for crisisis not really the same symbol as the onefor opportunity, but the housing crisis inthe Bay Area is most definitely an opportunity for companies inthe buildings industry…and an absolute necessity if our area isto continue to have a robust economy.

Ours may be the most magnificent area to live in the worldwith a booming economy, but our housing is so unaffordablethat employers are finding it much more difficult to recruit talent and operate here. Comparable housing in Portland, forinstance, is much less than half of Bay Area prices.

A recent University of San Francisco poll, for instance,recently said a whopping 85.5% of SF registered voters aresomewhat or very concerned about whether they can afford to continue living here with median monthly rents above $3,000 and average home prices exceeding $1 million. And quite a few NIMBY residents foolishly think starving our economy ofnew jobs and tax revenue will make the Bay Area a nicer placeto live.

Simple economics should mean housing demand producesabundant supply, but there is nothing simple about urban planning in these parts. So we must consider simplifying theplanning process or lose our economic appeal and suffer theloss of business needed to sustain our high quality of life.

Better housing solutions:1. Go vertical. Apartment and condo towers are much more

sustainable than single-family housing and small apartmentbuildings.

2. Match new construction with adequate mass transit to cut transportation costs, air pollution and traffic congestion.

3. Reverse government disincentives to build, and elect officials who actually encourage developers to create enoughhousing to bring down the cost through natural market forces.(Could we also require politicians to pass an economics testbefore they qualify to run for office?)

4. Invest in housing that’s affordable for everyone who wantsto live in the Bay Area. (Fears that San Francisco or Oaklandwill become “Manhattanized” are absurd. Manhattan’s per-square-mile population density is 69,467. San Francisco’s is35,360 and Oakland’s is 17,179.) Our waiters, janitors, clerks,students, graphic designers, musicians, etc. should be able tolive near the customers they serve.

5. Encourage companies to locate in the Bay Area by show-ing them we have the same creative ability to solve our housingand transportation problems that we do to create exciting tech-nologies that improve the way the entire world works.— Henry Eason, Editor and Publisher

Members of: BOMA, IFMA, IREM, SMPS, SPUR.

www.baybuildingsnews.com

Housing Crisis = Opportunity

Photo courtesy of Visa Lighting.

3

Bay Area Buildings News • January/February 2014

(Continued on page 20)

First of all, let’s answer the question: What exactly is a “smart building?”The definition is growing from buildings that use technology to save energyto those that perform numerous other functions. We certainly know what“dumb” buildings are. They are the ones that waste practically everything,require much more effort and money to manage and don’t provide tenantswith the most modern features needed to run their operations at peak performance.

“The definition of smart buildings is ever evolving,” says Teladata CEO Bob Brown, whose Fremont-based firm is sponsoring the renownedTechnology Convergence Conference on Feb. 18 in Santa Clara. The com-mon denominator for smart buildings’ products and services, Brown says, is better information, used more effectively for many purposes. These gobeyond creating complex sustainability systems to include IT infrastructure,data centers, telecommunication, monitoring, audio-visual and security.

Embracing a broader definition of smart buildings creates opportunitiesfor operating better buildings, but along with that comes confusion. Thereare competing proprietary systems that pose challenges—challenges Brownsays can be alleviated with the adoption of more open standards and protocols. Employing open-source sensor technology throughout buildingsprovides many opportunities for smarter buildings. Brown says. “We’re seeing sensors in strange places like lighting fixtures, video surveillance anddisplay. All have the ability to embed sensors.”

“It’s a mad scramble, a Wild West,” Brown says of a smart-buildingsindustry that is growing exponentially, vertically and horizontally.“Everybody is overlapping everybody else.” He envisions a brave new worldof modern buildings with smarter wiring that avoids the need for costly,cumbersome hardware, provides cheaper power with data cables operated inconjunction with sensors providing much higher levels of tenant satisfactionin many operational areas.

Dave Ellebrecht, vice president of tw telecom, also thinks the definitionof smart buildings is broadening. “In general, we think of smart buildings asbeing innovative, using advanced technology and providing more efficientand effective operations overall. The definition of a smart building haschanged as technology has evolved. Before, it meant the presence of systemslike security and HVAC, but building owners and tenants are looking formore than that. In their lives and businesses, they are used to getting real-time information through state-of-the-art telecommunications technologyand they expect that technology to be an integral part of their building.

Is Your Building Smart Enough?New Convergent Technologies Are Producing Optimized Buildings

Image at left: There are numerous smart buildings in the Bay Area, but the under-constructionKilroy Realty Corporation’s office tower at 350 Mission in San Francisco will be a standout.Designed by SOM and built by Webcor, the 500,000 square-foot, 30-story building aims to beLEED Platinum. It will boast a highly articulated high-performance thermal and seismicallydesigned unitized glass exterior wall, more daylight penetration, 100% outside air capabilities,under-floor air and electrical distribution (with no overhead ducting), floor by floor – HVAChigh efficiency units and control, state-of-the-art building management system, includinglighting control, high-energy efficiency (approximately 35% savings compared to traditionaloffice buildings) and a destination elevator system. It is built with performance-based structural design that uses less structural materials versus a traditional prescriptive-dualstructural design, dual system (core and perimeter system).

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Why are so many women attracted to commercial real estate? I started in the real estate industry by chance, rather than seeking it out as a career.Many property management professionals will tell you the same story. My female colleagues shared with me that some of them were drawn to the multi-tasking and problem solving aspects of the business. Others had hospitality background and theircustomer service experience made the move to commercial real estate a natural fit. All of these skills can be generally attributed to women, but men have them as well.Or is it that CRE owners and owners’ reps prefer women to manage their properties?It may be that the hiring companies and clients find women a good choice due to the reasons stated above. I don’t think that it is a conscious decision, but more of a percep-tion that women are good representatives for clients and tenants. Of course, any initialperception would give way to an individual’s skills, personality and hard work. Mostproperty managers start as property coordinators and work their way up.

What drew you personally to property management? When I moved back to the Bay Area in the early 90’s, there were few jobs to be found. After three months of temporary work, I was offered a permanent position with CBRE. What has kept me in the business since then, is the dynamic nature ofcommercial real estate. I am consistently challenged, engaged with cutting-edge businesses and work with the most amazingpeople—customers, colleagues, mentors, clients, and professional services— all top notch. Since women have the added responsibility of producing and mostly raising the next generation of humans, do theCRE companies accommodate you?Some companies are able to accommodate family life better than others. Maternity leave can be hard on everyone. It is up tothe employer to support the work team and the employee who is at home temporarily. I was extremely fortunate to work forfamily-oriented individuals during both of my pregnancies and that made me less anxious about taking the time I needed. The next big issue is for companies to make it more socially acceptable for fathers to take time off for family matters.Practically speaking, with two bread-winners being the new normal, rearing a family is no longer viewed, or lived, as only a women’s responsibility. Or does the industry need to better adjust to women’s unique duties? Women will always have the unique challenge of weighing career goals as it relates to family planning. However, other thanpregnancy and maternity leave, which is specific to women, work/life balance should not be singled out as a women’s issue.Every industry needs to better support the two-parent working family. This problem is now an equal opportunity gender issue.When you do find a company that understands and supports your family needs, whether that is a child or an aging parent, itcan engender great appreciation and loyalty from an employee. What message do you have for young women—and young men—who want to be property managers? Don't underestimate yourself. Seek out challenges and pursue all areas of commercial real estate, even if some arenas don't endup being a natural fit. Having a well-rounded background will always positively influence your problem-solving skills. Joinlocal associations like BOMA (shameless plug, but true), to enrich your knowledge and network. Keep in mind that even during the toughest economic downturn, someone has to manage the property.

Why Do Women Make Great Property Managers?

Fifty-six percent of commercial real estate asset, property and facility managers in the U.S.are women, according to a CREW Network study—and the trend is reportedly accelerating.In this Buildings News interview with Sarah MacIntyre, the newly elected president of theBuilding Owners and Managers Association of San Francisco, we asked her to share herthoughts about why women seem to thrive in commercial real estate property management.

Sarah MacIntyre

And What Must the Industry Do to Help Them Balance Home and Office Duties

Sarah MacIntyre is an asset manager with Kilroy Realty Corporation and president of the Building Owners and Managers Association of San Francisco.

6

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As real estate professionals in the Bay Area, we are all certainly familiar with LEED (Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design) certification. However, there may be some confusion over the recent adoption of the nextincarnation of LEED, which is now officially dubbed LEEDv4. So what exactly do we need to know?

After three years of develop-ment, and six public commentperiods, LEED v4 was officiallyapproved by USGBC (UnitedStates Green Building Council)membership July 3, 2013. Thisyear’s Greenbuild trade show inPhiladelphia from November 20to 22 released the new rating system to the public with projectsable to register under LEED v4 as of December 6, 2013.

Now that LEED v4 is available to projects, there are moreoptions than ever before for third-party certification. With all ofthese available options, it is important to know about the evo-lution of LEED for our clients, tenants and internal customers.

LEED—especially the most recent incarnation of the rating system—is never without controversy. In fact, youmay have recently seen LEED in the spotlight for the wrongreasons. Specifically, the respective chemical and manufactur-ing industries very publicly fought back against the newstandards laid-out in the MR (materials and resources) creditunder LEED v4, even as the USGBC originally set-out withthe goal of raising the standards of construction materialswhile maintaining transparency. To battle against this head-wind and PR fallout, the USGBC offered a proverbial olivebranch to the chemical and manufacturing industry byadding additional paths for compliance while maintaininghigh standards as well as transparency.

Unfortunately, the confusion and subsequent media coverage may have stigmatized LEED v4, which is why it is especially important to learn about the merits of the new rating system and be able to address any questions or con-cerns coming from our tenants or clients.

The LEED Relevance ChallengeThe USGBC has a tremendous challenge in maintaining

the relevance of LEED as the preeminent third-party environ-mental rating system for the built environment. LEED 2009saw a massive increase of popularity over the past four yearsand is still currently the most popular of the LEED ratingsystems. Now that the market has “caught-up” to the stan-dards of LEED 2009, the next rating system—LEED v4—

must chase the moving target of excellence in sustainableconstruction and operations, while also ensuring that LEEDwould remain feasible so that it matches the rise in populari-ty witnessed by LEED 2009. LEED must continue to rewardearly adopters and progressive designers, but can’t be so outin front of the market that it is out-of-reach.

There are many notable changesin LEED v4, and the following is asmall list highlighting some of themost impactful changes for LEED EBO&M v4 (please note that this is notan exhaustive list, please see the following website for more informa-tion: (http://www.usgbc.org/v4). At the top of the list is the secondenergy and atmosphere prerequisite,which increases the minimum ENER-GY STAR score from 69 to 75. This

higher energy efficiency standard will certainly cause build-ing owners to hesitate seeking LEED v4 certification. Othernotable changes include more energy subsystem metering,and both hardscape and landscape maintenance programs asprerequisites. Indoor environmental quality credits nowrequire ASHRAE 2010 standards under LEED v4. Finally,non-smoking signs are now required within 10 feet of build-ing entrances.

So for the time being, there is a choice between LEED2009 and LEED v4. Projects looking to raise the bar and seekthe challenge of LEED v4 will find increased opportunities tomarket themselves as early adopters and market leaders.Those projects not ready or able to meet the higher stan-dards of LEED v4 will still be able to seek the prestige of theyet-to-sunset LEED 2009 label. As with the 2009 version ofLEED, the Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance(EB O&M) rating system will have its own unique chal-lenges over other rating systems included under v4 such asNew Construction (NC) or Commercial Interiors (CI).

If you are interested in learning more about how LEEDv4 will impact new development, contact a local general contractor or architect, as they are already up-to-speed onthe nuanced differences between different rating systems. Asfor the LEED EB O&M route, speak with your contractorsperforming tenant improvement projects, janitorial vendors,pest control experts, landscape companies, and windowwashers to help decide if LEED v4 can be achieved. WhileLEED 2009 and v4 coexist, projects can register under LEED2009 up until June 1, 2015. Certification can occur underLEED 2009 until it sunsets, which can be as late as 2021.

USGBC’s New LEED v4 — What You Need to KnowBy Zachary Brown

Zachary Brown is a Manager of Sustainability for CBRE.

8


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laces of work used to be thought of as safe and secure, but office tenants and property managers have become increas-ingly troubled by a rise in workplace violence. From harassment and assaults to active shooters and bomb threats, nearly2 million American workers report having been victims of workplace violence each year, according to the U.S. Department

of Labor. With recent high profile examples such as the Navy Yard shooting in Washington D.C., the shooting at the Los Angelesairport, and the Boston Marathon bombings, it is not surprising that tenants named security as the second most important factorin space-selection in a recent survey conducted by the Building Owners and Managers Association International.

Due to the varied types of workplace violence incidents—criminal, customer/client, worker-on-worker, personal relationship,etc.— it is not always 100% possible to prevent these threats. Regardless, property managers are responsible for the life safety

programs of their buildings, and often in an emergency theirresponse is hampered by out-of-date contact information,untrained floor wardens, andslow methods of emergencynotification such as phone trees.A poor emergency response caninstantly damage a building ormanagement company’s repu-tation plus impact tenant retention and revenue.

Many buildings are beginning to implement cloud-based technology and trainingresources to prepare their teamsand tenants to mitigate risksand reduce buildings’ liabilities.Life safety technology compa-nies such as Preparis areenabling buildings’ owners andproperty managers to operatewith confidence by providingresources that ensure theirbuildings’ staff and tenants are prepared for threats such as

workplace violence. More than 100 buildings across the U.S. are now using Preparis to train their crisis teams and tenants, communicate with them during a crisis (workplace violence or other), plus test and update their Emergency Action Plans.

Leading property managers are finding great value in the confidence Preparis’ program provides. “I knew we needed to havea more structured emergency preparedness program for my property team and tenants,” said Deb Pyznarski, Senior GeneralManager, Lincoln Property Company. “I have been in property management for 24 years and am so glad to have finally found a solution that addresses all things emergency preparedness in one system.”

S p o n s o r e d R e p o r t

Property Managers Turn to Technology to Prepare for Workplace Violence

For more information on Preparis, contact:Randall Tolbert • 404.662.2950 • [email protected] • www.preparis.com

Graph Source: Preparis Poll of Tenants & Property Managers, October 2013

20%10%

Workplace Violence(Active Shooter, Bomb

Threat, Explosion)

Information Security(Data Breach, Phising,

Malware)

Natural Disasters(Floods, Tornadoes,

Storms, Earthquakes)

Health(Influenza, E-coli,

Salmonella, Pandemics)

40%

30%

What Tenants and Property Managers

Fear the Most in the Workplace

P

Bay Area Buildings News

www.preparis.com

mailto:[email protected]

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Central Valley Facilities Expo • March 12-13 • ModestoFaced with drought conditions, building operations managers who attend the Central Valley Facilities Expo in Modesto,

March 12-13 will learn numerous ways to reduce water use. A seminar, “How to Improve Your Facility’s Water Efficiency,” willbe held from 1 to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12. The speaker is Chris Brown, a consultant on water efficiency, who recentlyretired from the California Urban Water Conservation Council in Sacramento, where he was executive director. This presenta-tion will cover widely used water-efficiency technologies for commercial, industrial and institutional applications, includingrestrooms and plumbing, heating and cooling, water treatment, on-site reuse of water, and alternate sources of water. Processcontrol technologies and methods and the water-energy nexus also will be discussed. Also included will be Calgreen codeupdates and details on federal standards that affect water use.

Also featured is a case history presentation, called “Making Sustainability a Business Imperative at Crystal Creamery.”Speaker Luis Miranda of that company will examine a wide range of enlightened practices,including optimum handling of wet waste andwastewater. In addition, on the show floor, in the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance’sbooth, several videos on best water use practiceswill be screened, for the benefit of attendees. Attendance info: www.FacilitiesExpo.com

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Two Key Buildings Conferences Coming Up

Green California Summit & ExpoApril 8-9 • Sacramento

The eighth annual Green California Summit and Exposition will take place at theSacramento Convention Center on April 8-9.The advisory board for the Summit is com-posed of leaders from government and the private sector and is chaired by CalEPASecretary, Matt Rodriquez, GovernmentOperations Secretary Marybel Batjers andBusiness, Consumer Services and HousingAgency Secretary Anna Caballero.

The conference includes an Expo with morethan 100 companies offering green productsand services, concurrent sessions addressingenergy, water, transportation and other vitaltopics and a Leadership Awards reception. Pre-Summit seminars on April 7 will addressProp 39 and recent changes to the state’s greenbuilding and energy codes. Keynote speakerswill include Anne Simpson, Senior PortfolioManager and Director of Global Governancefor CalPERS. Keynotes and exhibit hall are free. Attendance and registration info: www.green-technology.org or 626-577-5700

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he Vegas conference hall room was packed last fall with facility managers from office buildings,hospitals, hotels, garages and institutional facilities.

They all came to find out if switching to LED lightingmakes sense. They left with concrete financial proof thatit does. And yet, industry experts say many of them willstill not be able to convince their short-term-mentalityproperty and asset managers to make the investment.

Here’s some basic LED math: The 10-year cost of usinga PAR38 LED lamp is $109.44 and the 10-year cost of aPAR38 Halogen lamp is $376.98, according to a study doneby the California and Oregon-based Corporate Realty,Design and Management Institute. So why hesitate?

Today’s cost of that LED lamp is about $55 and a comparable halogen lamp costs under $6. Since corporateAmerica rarely thinks beyond annual budgeting, the“halogen mentality” usually rules.

Institute President Alan Whitson says if facility andproperty managers could only get a hearing from theircompany’s chief financial officers, they would have a better chance of reducing their facility’s energy costs bygetting approval for LED lighting. A financial audit by theinstitute of a 1 million square-foot parking garage thatswitched to LED-based lighting showed a 10-year savingsof more than $2 million. Studies of medical centers(which typically have very low margins) indicate thatlighting savings can be greater than a hospital’s profit margins for the audit period.

“The simple (LED) payback is about five years,” saysRob Stanton, a Pleasanton-based consultant with ABM’sElectrical and Lighting Solutions’ division. But, he adds,“a lot of company owners want a payback in two years.”Stanton predicts that as costs go down (which they havebeen), LED lighting will become more acceptable. Moreefficient lighting, he says, “has the best payback of anyenergy retrofit.” A number of studies show that lightingconstitutes more than 40% of energy use in commercialbuildings.

The LED nationwide picture is dramatic. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “Widespread use ofLED lighting has the greatest potential impact on energysavings in the United States. By 2027, widespread use ofLEDs could save about 348 TWh (compared to no LEDuse) of electricity: This is the equivalent annual electricaloutput of 44 large electric power plants (1000 megawattseach), and a total savings of more than $30 billion attoday's electricity prices.”

And yet, industry estimates put current LED penetra-tion into the commercial buildings lighting market as

Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center:• The lighting was done by Mary-Jane Lawless of Silverman & Light inEmeryville, CA.• The color changing RGB Infinity Art pendant was hung in an ER waitingarea, over a child-size table to provide some playfulness for the kids during a long wait while simultaneously providing positive distraction for parents as well. Photo courtesy of Visa Lighting.

New Lighting Products and Strategies Save Money..

T

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miniscule—but growing steadily as its advantages are better understood. Lux Research predicted that the LED lighting marketwill grow 12-fold by 2023 from $1.5 billion to $14.5 billion in sales, given trends.

Better Lighting Incentives and MandatesAs with so many environmental initiatives

over the past few decades, a combination of carrot and stick is usually required to effect sig-nificant change—with governments and entitiesthey regulate usually applying both. That’s thecase in the lighting field.

For instance, the State of California’s newTitle 24 Building Energy and EfficiencyStandards’ regulations, due to be enforced inJuly, push major new energy conservation meas-ures in lighting. In addition, utilities like PacificGas & Electric are offering financial incentives.

New Title 24 regs require:• All interior luminaries must have on/off

switches and most dimmer switches must allowon/off controls

• Standards will be more stringent require-ments for testing and certification of controlscommissioning

• Floor plans must have 75% of their totalarea in daylight zones

• Occupant-sensing controls must turn off alllighting in the following areas during vacant periods:offices less than or equal to 250 square feet, confer-ence rooms of any size, multipurpose rooms of lessthan or equal to 1,000 square feet, classrooms of anysize and indoor parking areas

• Lighting must be automatically reduced by 50%in secondary spaces when unoccupied— such as cor-ridors and stairwells, warehouse aisles and open areas

• Parking garages occupant-serving controls willbe required to have at least one control step between20% and 50% of design lighting power

• There are stringent new outdoor lighting stan-dards as well that cover daylighting and mounting

For more detail, visit http://cltc.ucdavis.edu/ Many of these new regulations “inexorably lead to

the LED-based luminaire as the only realistic ‘code-meeting’ solution,” says manufacturers rep David Berksof Novato-based lightSF. “To some extent it is true asLED luminaires do cost more. But there will have to bea paradigm shift in how the lighting fixture’s viabilityis judged beyond the growing energy savings, withinclusion for maintenance savings, HVAC load, con-trollability, long life, color, maintenance.

..And Enhance the Way We Work, Live, Learn and Heal

Top photo: Condos at 1100 Wilshire in Los Angeles installed Acculamp LED lamps inall of their common areas. Photo courtesy of Acuity Brands.Lower photo: For its conference room, Emeryville-based lighting services companySixteen5Hundred uses Peerless round 2 indirect and round 4 direct/indirect LED fixtures in a playful alternating pattern in its new 8th floor conference room.Daylight sensors embedded in the fixtures automatically dim the lights during theday, providing additional energy savings to their already low .6W per square footlighting power density. Night digital controls allow user override. LEDs in this fixturebring new life to a retro look by allowing fixture diameters that would not be possible with fluorescent lamps. (Continued on page 14)

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“And it is not just the LED luminaire that plays a role in satisfying the evolving T24 regimen,” Berks further explains.“Now, controls are playing a major role in regulating and providing light and they play a role in load shedding anddemand-response. There are various protocols that can plug intoa BMS and become the command center for lighting and more.”

Going Beyond LED Cost AdvantagesBeyond energy savings, one of the most appealing features

of LED lighting and controls is their ability to create morebeautiful and useful environments within all types of buildings.

LightSF’s Berks says “We are making quantum leaps in thequality of lighting. A lot of people don’t factor in that LEDdoes more than provide cheaper light. Researchers are study-ing how lighting affects the eye and the signals it sends to thebrain.” Studies show that certain lighting conditions can

increase worker productivity, improve hospital patient recov-ery, stimulate retail purchasing, enhance restaurant ambiance,speed hospital patient recovery with more restful lighting andprovide numerous other qualitative advantages.

Better lighting design and quality are powerful reasons for using LED illumination. Most workspaces are over-lit, say General Electric and the leading trade group, IlluminatingEngineering Society. LED permits more focused “task lighting”and ambient lighting often using half the illumination of traditional lighting.

According to Jason Brown, Application Solutions Managerfor GE Lighting, workspaces that are too bright may affectboth employees' productivity and a building’s bottom-lineenergy costs. Working closely with the IES and generallyfocused on more efficient design, Brown has found that a “layered” design is often a good solution to over-lit offices.

Las Vegas Sands first installed GE's more energy-efficient LED and compactfluorescent lighting in more than 7,000 guest suites at The Venetian | ThePalazzo in 2010.

(Continued from page 13)

15

He says, “When ambient and task lighting arelayered in this way, direct lighting is brought closer to the work surface, thus reducing thelumens (light output) needed to adequately lightthe space. High-level illumination is used onlywhere it is needed, at the task, not across theentire space."

“LED color flexibility brings obvious advan-tage for theatrical and advertising uses. For officeand retail uses, LED ceiling lights—both retrofitsand replacements —offer excellent choicesbetween a warmer white (3500 kelvin) and amore natural (daylight) soft white (4100 kelvin),”says Jim Kimball of retrofit specialists EnergyTechLED in San Ramon.

The future of LED lighting is literally brighterthan traditional lighting technologies —as meas-ured in lumens (a standard measure of the visiblelight emitted from a source). LEDs emit about 150lumens per watt used, compared with a maximumof 70 lumens for compact fluorescent lighting and only 30 for incandescent. That means LEDproduces more light for less energy and a longerlife span. And with increased adoption, LED priceswill drop, stimulating even greater adoption andfurther price decreases. That’s the bottom line.

To induce use of LED lighting,

Pacific Gas & Electric offers a

range of rebates. PG&E cites

the benefits of LED lighting.

LEDs use significantly less energy, last longer, turn on and offinstantly and can be equipped with dimmers and motion controlsfor more energy savings. ENERGY STAR®-qualified LED lighting:

• Uses at least 75 percent less energy than incandescent lighting.

• Lasts 20 times longer than incandescent lighting and about two to five times longer than fluorescent lighting, reducing maintenance costs.

• Produces very little heat, reducing cooling costs.

• Does not flicker when dimmed or draw power while turned off.

• Offers brightness equal to or greater than existing lighting tech-nologies, with consistent light output and color quality.

• Comes in a wide variety of styles, colors and sizes to fit any décor and task.

• Brings lighting systems up to date to meet new state and federal energy reduction requirements.

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Bay Area Buildings News • January/February 2014 Association News

Since the dawn of Silicon Valley in the early late 1970s,architects have designed countless flat cookie-cutter rectan-gles and jammed workers into them as cost effectively aspossible. It’s what their clients demanded in that turbulenthere-today-gone-tomorrow corporate world where boards of directors have almost always needed an “exit strategy” to get bought out by another firm or downsize or upsize or tear down and build up.

All the while, Silicon Valley’s glamorous sister city to thenorth continued to dazzle the world with soaring edificeswhose gleaming windows and artful shapes reflected lightcast off by the shimmering San Francisco Bay.

A panel of architects at a recent event sponsored bySPUR reflected on the architectural past, present and thefuture relationship of San Francisco and Santa Clara Valley and wondered if they two will merge, as growthmoves toward closing the physical and business gapsbetween them.

How will the two influence each other’s buildingdesigns? Where exactly is the “Silicon Valley” today, since so many technology companies have opened their doors inSan Francisco and the city has become a bedroom for so

many Santa Clara County workers. There were no conclu-sions reached. And yet, some architects felt that there aresigns that Silicon Valley companies with long-range ambi-tions (Apple, Facebook, Google, etc.) want to leave theirmark on the architectural landscape with iconic structuresthat will polish their brands and help them attract talent.

“The two distinct areas (San Francisco and SiliconValley) are blurring more and more,” said San FranciscoChronicle architectural critic John King, who moderated the panel.

Gensler’s Steve Weindel recalled how in the 1980s and1990s, since many companies “didn’t know if they’d be inbusiness tomorrow” required architectural features that wereminimally designed so structures could be sold quickly toother firms on short notice. “Now, he said, “they say theyare not looking for an exit strategy.” He said one client toldhim he ‘wanted to go on an (architectural) journey toreflect the soul of his company.’ Silicon Valley companies arematuring and they are getting more confidant and they wantarchitecture to reflect that,” he explained.

“For the first time (Silicon Valley) companies are lookingto make an architectural splash beyond our area,” said King.

Are Silicon Valley Buildings Doomed to Mediocrity?

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A few inches might not seem a lot to someone who’s nothandicapped, but they can mean the difference betweenbeing able to lead a more normal life or suffer embarrassingand unnecessary inconveniences to disabled people, saysplaintiff attorney Celia McGuinness. And yet, those inchescan also cost property owners a lot ofmoney in lawsuits if not accommodated.

She and other expert speakersdetailed those all-important inches andmuch more at BOMA San Francisco’srecent annual Building Codes Seminar.Skip Soskin of Huntsman ArchitecturalGroup described the new combinedCalifornia Building Code Title 24requirements with the 2010 Americanwith Disabilities Act (ADA), saying“There are actually very few newrequirements.” He also noted that citieslike San Francisco, however, will add their own regs, and no one yet knows what they will be.

The pros and cons of the Certified Access Specialist program were debated, with some saying getting a CASpreport carries little weight, while others felt it demonstrates abuilding operator’s intent to comply with the law—as long asthe owner is prepared to follow through on what the CASpreport found and puts a schedule together to address anydeficiencies.

Here are some details:• New SF leases of 7500’ or less must now include a form

signed by both tenant and landlord verifying that the tenantunderstands that the space he/she is renting is (or is not)ADA compliant and, if not corrected, could face a future law-suit. This form is available from the San Francisco SmallBusiness Commission’s website.

• Elevators in existing buildings must be 48” x 54,”instead of the current minimum of 48” x 48.” Note: Federal ADA law states that “readily achievable” is one of the criterion to be used in determining if something is anADA violation or not, and making an elevator shaft widerwould likely be considered not “readily achievable,” and thus exempt, according to the panelists.

• There must be room for van parking every six spaces—instead of eight.

• Shower rooms must include a toilet and sink.• Ramps that change direction between runs must have

an intermediate landing of at last 60” wide and 72” long inthe direction of travel.

• Toilets must be 17” to 18” from side walls, instead ofthe current 16” and 18” space to provide more space for awheelchair to maneuver.

• Yet other changes affect lavatories, sinks, water foun-tains, showers and signage.

Ken Cleaveland, BOMA’s vice president for public affairs,said, “It’s important to have competent architects alwaysreview any designs for tenant spaces as how ADA laws are

interpreted and enforced do varyfrom jurisdiction to jurisdiction.Compliance up front is much easierthan facing a lawsuit later down the road.”

In other news from the codesseminar, San Francisco adopted newlocal building codes effectiveJanuary 1, 2014 that will includethe ability for owners of fully-sprinkled buildings to install non-rated demising walls in tenantspaces. This is a significant cost

savings change for both tenant and landlord. New buildingswill also be allowed to substitute a firefighter service elevatorin place of installing an air replenishment system (ARS) forfirefighter use.

New California Building Codes Measured in Inches

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China’s Real Estate Bo

Architects, Planners, CRE Firms, Green Comhinese investments will soon be gushing into the Northern California buildings market as pent-up profits from boomingChina seek stable and friendly climates and Bay Area firms are needed to work in China, real estate executives who justreturned from China recently told members of the Building Owners and Managers Association of San Francisco.

“So much money needs to get out of China, mostly into real estate, and San Francisco will be one of the top spots,” saidCushman & Wakefield Regional Director Steven Ring.

Ring and architect Jeffrey Heller said China is adept at erecting high-rise office towers practically overnight, but many are shoddily built and their buildingoperation practices have yet to attain American standards of efficiency, aesthetics,cleanliness and assurances of quality in tenant leasing practices. Ring described the some buildings operations he witnessed as ‘horrible.’ “They accept standardsdifferent from us. They do care. They’re just moving so fast.”

There are major exceptions, added Heller, whose firm (Heller Manus Architects)has designed a number of buildings in China and advises the government on urbanplanning. “When you go into important buildings, they are clean and perfect. Theyknow how to do right,” he said.

Delegates of the first major BOMA-sponsored conference in 2013 betweenChinese and American real estate executives said they were astonished at China’sunbridled growth, but were encouraged by that nation’s desire for cooperative relations with their industry counterparts in the Bay Area. They further said thatthe Chinese are looking to sustainable regions like San Francisco for help in reducing levels of air pollution that threaten their health and future economicprogress. “They are poisoning their own cities,” said Heller, whose Chinese air pollution app recently recorded particulate matter in the air at 300 and 400 particulate levels. (By comparisons, in the Bay Area, an infrequent level thatexceeds 150 results in an emergency “spare the air” order.)

China Looks to Bay Area For Partnerships, Opportunities“California as well as the Bay Area has always had strong ties with China

since the Gold Rush days, and so it’s natural that California and China learnfrom each other in areas like building design and operations by creating apartnership benefiting one another,” says Carlos Santamaria, a BOMA delegate and Glenborough’s vice president for engineering. He has beenadvising China on energy conservation practices.

“While China is still struggling with the environmental side-effects offull-scale industrial development, quite a bit of work is taking place behindthe scenes toward implementing the sort of best practices which have result-ed in cleaner Bay Area air. For example, the Shanghai Tower which is goingto be the tallest building in China and the second tallest in building in theworld. At 632.0 meters, or 2073 feet, this world-class design is the work ofBay Area-based architectural firm, Gensler & Associates. The ShanghaiTower’s state-of-the-art systems incorporate energy efficient and sustainablefeatures and materials that will make it one for the greenest buildings in theworld,” said Santamaria.

Santamaria said one example of partnerships that are forming betweenAmerican and Chinese commercial real estate professionals is the recentemergence of BOMA China, a BOMA International affiliate and one of thefastest growing professional commercial real estate associations in the world.“With over 300 members totaling over a billion square feet of office spaceand growing, this less, relatively new association has the task of shaping and

C

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om Benefits Bay Area

mpanies and Many Others Are Needed in Chinadirecting a huge industry and market. Leading this herculeaneffort is Dominic Lau, executive director of BOMA China.Lau’s vision is for BOMA China to create one of the foremostreal estate industry associations in the world market by usingthose international standards and best practices that improveChina’s real estate industry. Training is also a significant partof the equation where Bay Area companies and professionalsare being sought out after in being subject matter experts toBOMA China.”

To achieve higher industry standards, Ring said Chineseare eager to “co-brand” with North American real estate companies, including his own firm as well as Hines, Colliers,Jones Lang LaSalle, CBRE, Brookfield and Tishman Speyer, to name just some of the major players. The opportunities areenormous, Ring said, because “the scale of what’s happeningthere is unbelievable.” He and Heller both said there are more than 100 economic zones in China they’d never heardof that are more populous than San Francisco. One Chineseofficial reportedly told Ring that what it has taken American200 years to build, China has built in 20 years. “There arehundreds of cranes over the cities we visited,” said Ring.

Seeing frenetic growth everywhere, urban planner Hellersaid it is stunning to realize that there are more than 700 million people using the Internet in China, and 37 packed

high-speed trains run each way every day between Beijingand Shanghai on a railway system that has built more than10,000 miles of track in the past decade along which trainsfly at 200 miles per hour. In their hyper-charged economy,Heller said they are erecting “throwaway towers they’ll knockdown in 30 years.” Ring said very few tenants will sign leaseslonger than three years, since they expect to outgrow currentrequirements or change their business practices. He addedthat buildings aren’t as clean as ones in America because theChinese are just too busy to notice what’s accumulating in thecorners of their offices.

BOMA’s China InitiativesSantamaria is vice chair of BOMA International’s Energy

& Environment Committee and chair of the BOMA CaliforniaEnergy Committee. He says BOMA, and Bay Area CRE leaders in particular, are forming very close ties in buildings operations.“There’s an ongoing effort to identify and bring over SubjectMatter Experts (SME’s) to China to assist them in their commer-cial real estate industry development. Areas of expertise that arein need include; exterior curtain wall experts, roofing experts,janitorial–green cleaning standards experts, preventative mainte-nance experts and property management professionals.”

American industry experts plan to help BOMA China witheducation and the transfer of industry knowledge. “There is anexcellent opportunity for those who wish to travel abroad anduse their education and industry experience to share theirknowledge with BOMA China members,” said Santamaria. TheCalifornia China Office of Trade and Investment is also work-ing to unite the two largest and most dynamic economies andbusiness communities on the planet—China and California.

Several Bay Area firms are working with the California-China Trade collaborative exploring opportunities in fourmajor cities in China: Beijing, Tianjin, Hangzhou andShanghai. The BOMA San Francisco Foundation is also in discussions with BOMA China to try to see where resourcescan be shared addressing the employment and training needs of the commercial real estate industry here in the Bay Area andthroughout the nation, as well as in China. BOMA China is inthe very early stages of trying to build this CRE workforce byrecruiting, training and retaining top-quality talent and can usethe expertise and assistance of BOMA San Francisco.

Top left: Heller Manus designed all four buildings that make up theCanudilo campus, called Guangzhou International Fashion Center, officeand retail space, a gallery for fashion exhibitions, a conference center, roofgardens and an underground parking lot. The gallery and flagship storeare LEED-NC Gold registered, and the office towers are LEED NC and CSSilver registered. Lower left: Shanghai skyline. (Photos courtesy of Heller Manus Architects.)

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Smart Buildings (Continued from page 3)

“Building owners and managers know thatthe telecommunication infrastructure is one of the most critical features potential tenantslook for and tenant access to ultra-high-speed,secure, scalable networks that support cloudcomputing, Internet and Business Ethernet isnot a luxury, it’s a necessity! And end-to-endfiber is a must—copper can’t satisfy the grow-ing appetite for bandwidth.”

Brave New World of Buildings DataTech-enhanced methods of generating use-

ful data about a building’s operations promisebetter tenant experiences, but the massiveamounts of data can be overwhelming. That’swhy companies like Johnson Controls aredeveloping methods of channeling the flood ofdata with programs like the Panoptix buildingefficiency platform. It is a comprehensive suiteof cloud-based apps, services and support that harnesses and better manages afacility’s data. It pulls a variety of data fromvarious existing building systems and utilitymeters and transmits it to the cloud, where itcan be used with a range of applications todeliver better control over energy use, equip-ment operation and occupant well-being.

Paired with Johnson Controls’ Metasys,Panoptix can ensure comfort and create efficiencies in all types of buildings. It is acomprehensive building management systemthat provides instrumentation and controlneeded to coordinate, regulate and managebuilding systems. It helps facilities managersbetter operate a host of functions, like HVAC, lighting, security, fire and communications,using sensors to help managers know what’shappening in virtually every corner of a building. And its reports allow managers tobetter plan for the future and achieve greaterefficiencies.

The company Building Engines maintainsthat recent studies “show there is a direct link between technology investment and

profitability.” Building Engines says in its report called “Technology Adoption in Commercial Real Estate” that “the commer-cial real estate industry has historically known to be laggard when it comes to embracing new technology. Yet, the past fewyears have seen a major uptick in technology adoption. So, what is driving the change?”

Specifically, survey respondents said they need better customer support, that current systems are too difficult to use andless costly methods are required. Their findings also indicated that building managers want to manage their facilities usingmobile devices.

� Reduce energy

� Improve lighting systems

� Heighten telecommunications

� Enhance AV communications

� Provide greater HVAC comfort

� Conserve water

� Track building operations

� Enrich data applications

� Integrate all systems

What Smarter Buildings Can Do

21


Bottom Line…How Smart Does Your BuildingNeed to Be?

Smarter buildings are more appealing to manytypes of tenants in the Bay Area with very high operational expectations from their buildings (tech,finance, professional services, bioscience, etc.), butthere is a limit to what some require.

Blake Peterson of Langley Investment Properties inSan Francisco says, “It is a sliding ROI scale. The realquestion is, what is the guaranteed minimum valueadd that smart building technology will generate forthe cost. When you reach the tipping point where asmart building project is not offset by labor or utilitysavings or is not measurably enhancing the occupantexperience or building value, it becomes the oppositeof smart. For existing buildings, one must identifywants versus needs and then approach the adoptionof new technologies carefully and incrementally.”

Western Allied Mechanical of Menlo Park hasworked on numerous smart buildings projectsthroughout Northern California. Its president, Angie Simon, agrees that “not all buildings should besmart buildings.”

(Continued on page 22)

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“The usage and the long-term life of the buildingshould be considered,” says Simon. “However, as tech-nology continues to evolve and improve, the ROI’s arebound to get better. Actually the codes, rules and regula-tions in the State of California (T-24 and Green Codes)are going to be the driving force behind requiredimprovements that will make even the simplest buildingmuch more energy-efficient when compared to otherstates and their buildings. From a construction costpoint of view, the changes in the codes have driven upinstallation first costs but will help with the long-termenergy usage. When the 2014 T-24 codes take effect(July 1st), we will be required to make these buildingseven better.”

Simon continues, “Does this mean that a Net Zerobuilding like the Packard Foundation has a payback orROI that can be shown on paper as cost effective? No,probably not yet, but to the ‘green’ world and to thosethat look to the future of where our buildings will be in15 years, it is money well spent to prove that this canactually be achieved. The federal government has estab-lished its HPBS (High Performance Building Standards),which all new federal buildings being built are guided by.These standards are similar to California’s T-24 and greencodes. These guidelines mean that all of our futurebuildings will be “SMART.”

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Smart Buildings (Continued from page 21)

This is one of the building automation panels that controls the entire HVAC system in a complex Silicon Valleyoffice building. This smart control system was designed andinstalled by Comfort International, Inc. (CI) of San Jose. Ituses KMC Controls, an open protocol building automationsystem (BAS) to control this LEED Platinum certified datacenter. CI worked collaboratively with ADC Engineers and its client to enhance the system design which uses outsideair economizers as well as direct and indirect evaporativewater side economizers with a custom chiller/air handler tocondition the server racks arranged in sealed hot/coldzones. The key is the custom control logic of the BAS, whichenables this midsize data center to have one of the lowestPUE levels in the industry using a mere 7.5 hours annually of mechanical chiller cooling as free cooling is used the restof the time and maintaining 68-74 degrees and normal 40-60% humidity levels.

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S p e c i a l S p o n s o r e d R e p o r t

Vanir Builds Out Chic Urban Space for WeWorkA privately held company that builds communities made up of entrepreneurs and small businesses, WeWork empowers

its members by providing functional workspace, collaborative environments, connective technology and meaningful services.WeWork currently has offices in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington D.C. and Boston.

WeWork contracted with Vanir in October 2012 to build out its space at 25 Taylor Street in San Francisco. The CM/GC cost-plus-fee contract enabled WeWork to start construction before the design documents were 100% complete.

Much like WeWork’s philosophy, thedesign and construction team worked collaboratively to create an exciting andchic workspace. Adjacent to the GoldenGate Theater, the seven-story office building is 90 years old and had beenunoccupied for 10 years.

The project team was tasked with bringing life back to this historicalbuilding that had been boarded up and abandoned.

After the initial abatement and demolition, Vanir moved forwardwith the new infrastructure requirements and finishes. A major part ofthe improvement work was installing new utility systems including electrical, fire sprinklers, fire alarm and heat into the building.The substantially complete first phase of the project allows WeWork members to enjoy the 45,000 square feet of space.

Vanir and WeWork recently finalized a contract for the next phase of the project, which will be Design-Build services for theremaining three floors of the building. Anyone interested in leasing space from WeWork may schedule a tour by visitingwww.wework.com.

Since 1980 Vanir has provided construction services for nearly $16 billion dollars in construction throughout the nation. During each phase of planning, design, construction and close-out, Vanir continuously focuses on achieving the owner’s goals for success. Owners throughout the private, education, healthcare, justice andcivil market segments appreciate the level of quality and personal service received by Vanir’s team. As your construction expert, Vanir can provide many services including project scheduling, equipment and material procurement, general contracting, quality assurance/quality planning, and commissioning. In addition, Vaniroffers construction management, design-assist, design-build, and integrated project delivery services.

For more information:Dan Ferst • 415.284.9050 • [email protected] • www.vanir.com

The inviting WeWork space at 25 Taylor Street, San Francisco.

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Q&A with Douglas Wittnebel, Design Director and Principal, GenslerGensler recently did astudy of open officesand raised some ques-tions about them. Whatwere they?Gensler’s workplaceresearch began in 2008, as a result of 40 years ofexperience, so we havequite a bit of data to showhow attitudes toward the

workplace have changed, as well as where they’re going. Thenew study examines the design factors that create an effectiveworkplace; how design can better support knowledge workerengagement, satisfaction, and performance; and the influence of the workplace on organizational culture. It also reveals trendsabout productivity, innovation, and worker engagement. Ourresearch identifies new design strategies for how organizationscan use workplace design as their competitive advantage to drive innovation. The bottom line is: design really matters!

How about a few details from the study?We can take a look at the topic of distractions in the workplace.Did you know that over 50% of employees are disturbed by others when trying to focus? Almost half of employees are usingmakeshift solutions to block out distractions. I’m sure you’veseen it—people with headsets on, earplugs, even no music playing? We should watch and pay attention to this trend,because we know that 75% of employees want to be in the office and feel that it’s more productive than working at home.They want the valuable face-to-face time. Yahoo gave out a big“Yahoo” and called for a return to the office. That’s a call toaction for designers —we need to provide employees a range of spaces for all the work modes: collaboration, learning, socializing and focus.

Can open offices be made to be productive without interfering with workers’ focus?

While individual focus and collaborative work are often thought to be opposites, our research demonstrates that theyfunction best as complements. When focus is compromised inpursuit of collaboration, neither works well. The most effectiveworkplaces are all about Balance and Choice. Workplacesdesigned to enable collaboration without sacrificing focus aremore successful. Enabling choice with the right alignment oftools, policies, and spaces is an opportunity for companies tocreate a climate in which employees can make meaningful decisions to maximize their job performance. Employers who

provide a spectrum of choices for when and where to work areseen as more innovative and have higher-performing employees.

What trends in office interiors do you foresee? In the workplace, I see a future focus on smart design. Whendesign is the difference between a great outcome and somethingless, a design perspective on the future is a competitive advantage.This is a time of profound change in how design supports work inall its varied forms. I see a few big, future-shaping trends. Cities,buildings and districts are evolving in response to the innovation-driven nature of the business. Co-working space, with its informaland collaborative ethos, will continue to grow. “Smart” environ-ments, embedded technology settings will take increase. Focusbalanced with collaboration and choice in the workplace willemerge as key drivers of satisfaction, performance, and innovation.

Gensler Architect Says “Open Offices” Can Be Unproductive

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