When the Alameda County Waste Management Authority (ACWMA) outgrew their offices in San Leandro, they decided to buy and renovate their own building in downtown Oakland. BBI Construction was retained as the general contractor to renovate and seismically strengthen the 14,000 sq. ft. project. The dilapidated two-story building was built in 1926 and is on the same block as the YWCA of Oakland building designed by renowned architect Julia Morgan, and built circa 1975.

Initially the project was intended for LEED silver, but as the project moved through the design phase and into construction, it became clear that the project had already surpassed the requirements for LEED Silver and were in the LEED Gold range. In the end, ACWMA decided to go the extra mile to obtain LEED Platinum status. The application process for LEED Platinum is still underway, but when approved, it will be the first LEED 2.2 Platinum renovation project in the Nation, and one of only a handful of Platinum buildings in California.

“Building a LEED Platinum project, our first LEED project ever, is something everyone in our organization will be very proud of for many years to come,” said Brad Gates, President of BBI Construction.

Included among the building’s many sustainable features is a photovoltaic panel array; efficient heating, cooling, lighting, and energy management systems; recycled and salvaged materials; and low VOC paints.