DPR Construction set out to demonstrate that Net Zero Energy Certified buildings are accessible to a wide range of companies, not just those that are sustainability experts or that have large construction budgets. DPR’s San Francisco office was designed with aggressive energy efficiency goals—a target of net positive energy production achieved through reduction of energy loads via efficient HVAC and electrical systems and off-set by photovoltaic and solar thermal systems on the roof. In addition to achieving net positive energy goals, DPR aimed to ensure that their project could be replicable. The final cost landed marginally above the market cost of standard construction, and mirrored the current Class-A Standard TI of other projects in the region. The project team used a Design-Build-Assist delivery method to provide rapid pricing and options while maintaining the design goals. The DPR San Francisco office is the first net zero energy office in the City of San Francisco, and was designed at just $185 per square foot.
