As the world’s most widely used green building rating system, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification has long been a testament to Webcor’s exemplary commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Since completing our first LEED-certified project over a decade ago, Webcor’s delivered 160+ LEED-certified structures ranging from higher education to residential to aviation. The majority have met the stringent requirements of LEED Gold and Platinum, levels reserved for only the healthiest, most efficient, and most cost-effective green buildings.

Since March 2023, three of our projects have earned LEED certification: CitizenM (Gold, March 2023), BlackLine Pleasanton TI (Silver, October 2023), and Bay Meadows Station 5 (Gold, January 2024).

CitizenM: LEED Gold

Unlike some clients, CitizenM didn’t need to be convinced of the immense value rooted in LEED certification. According to Sr. Project Manager Brent Lee, all new-build CitizenM hotels are required to achieve LEED Building Design and Construction (BD+C) Gold Certification as part of the developer’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) plan.

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CtizenM team members managing the project’s LEED certification had plenty to be proud of:

• Despite site constraints, provided open space (and earned Exemplary Performance) and reduced heat island effect for both roof and non-roof spaces
• Achieved over 10 percent recycled content and over 30 percent regional materials.
• Nearly achieved 75 percent in Construction Waste Management; still managed waste efficiently given the site constraints and neighbors accessing the bin
• Low mercury lighting (innovation)
• Earned almost all points in the IEQ section, with the exception of flush-out/air testing (which was not feasible on this type of project)
• Outdoor air monitoring and increased ventilation, plus CO2 monitoring
• Low emitting finishes 
• Occupant controllability for lighting and thermal comfort in guestrooms and office/common spaces
• Met thermal comfort standard, which ensures optimal comfort for guests and building occupants
• Achieved optimal daylight access and quality views

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BlackLine Pleasanton TI

From a construction standpoint, the most significant challenge of the certification process was meeting the waste diversion rate requirement of 65 percent (1 point on the LEED scorecard). They decided to source-separate the materials—wood, metal, cardboard, drywall, and mixed debris—on-site and hire a third-party hauler to transport them to a local facility that accepted each type of material. 

“The sorting process took up a lot of space,” says Assistant Superintendent Eileen Deasy. “We didn’t have a debris bin on-site, so we had to stack all trash on the ground in piles/trash buggies." Their determination and commitment to sustainable building practices paid off with a final waste diversion rate of nearly 70 percent and no more than 2.5 pounds of waste generated per square foot, earning them two points on the LEED scorecard.

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Bay Meadows Stations 1 & 5

Like CitizenM, Bay Meadows Station 1 and 5’s pursuit of LEED Gold Certification was never a question, but a steadfast client expectation. Stations 1 and 5 composed two components of Bay Meadows’ Urban Village, which already included three LEED Gold-certified buildings (Stations 2, 3, and 4), so it was a given that Stations 1 and 5 would follow suit. Stations 1 & 5 were officially awarded LEED Gold in January 2024.

On April 10, Sustainable San Mateo County (SSMC) lauded Bay Meadows Urban Village’s dedication to sustainable building with a Green Building Honorable Mention, an award co-sponsored by SMCC, the American Institute of Architects’ San Mateo County Chapter, and Peninsula Clean Energy. According to SSMC, the Green Building award recognizes buildings within San Mateo County that promote “green, sustainable design and construction and a commitment to electrification or decarbonization efforts. It recognizes the architect, builder and owner of the building.”

Project Manager Matthew Moran accepted the award on behalf of Webcor with Mark Borchardt, senior project architect representing HoK, at SMCC’s 25th annual awards celebration.

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Shortly thereafter, SMCC published a profile on Bay Meadows Urban Village’s most notable features with, of course, an emphasis on those related to sustainability:

“The development utilized biophilic design strategies to improve occupants’ health and wellness and their overall experience. The project leverages San Mateo’s Northern California climate to create a comfortable setting. The design puts a premium on access to daylight, outdoor views and nature, where occupants are never more than 30 feet from exterior glazing. The design also immerses occupants with nature, providing a variety of outdoor spaces at work. The buildings’ landscaped courtyard features native, drought-tolerant plantings and provides areas for respite and recreations. These lessons have been shared at industry conferences and publications and have been used to inform the design of projects across the globe."