“Greenest Commercial Building” Earns Living Building Certification

No April Fools, Yesterday the Bullitt Center proved its status as the greenest commercial building in the world by becoming the first office building to earn Living Building certification, the most challenging benchmark of sustainability in the built environment. To earn the certification, the Bullitt Center demonstrated that it produces more electricity from solar panels on its roof than occupants use in a year. In addition, toxic chemicals were screened from all building materials and all wood was Forest Stewardship Council certified. Its occupants’ human waste is composted and rainwater is captured for all uses, including drinking. “We made a huge, bold bet that human creativity could overcome dozens of unprecedented challenges,” said Denis Hayes, CEO of the Bullitt Foundation and the Bullitt Center. “If Living Buildings can be built and operated in Seattle, the cloudiest major city in the contiguous 48 states, they can and should be built everywhere.” In 2014, the Bullitt Center produced 60 percent more energy from solar panels on its roof than it used, largely due to efficiencies that exceeded expectations, making it the most energy efficient office building in the United States and possibly in the world. “Quite simply, this is one of the […]