CLIMATEWORKS FOUNDATION

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“The ClimateWorks Foundation’s new office fosters creative interaction among staff, accommodates future growth and welcomes international visitors – everything it was designed to do...”

The ​PROJECT

The ClimateWorks Foundation supports public policies that mitigate climate
change and promote global prosperity. When planning its new San Francisco
office, the foundation recognized a singular opportunity to put its commitment to
energy efficiency into practice and to showcase sustainable building practices. The
office was designed to reflect the foundation’s own mission – the global reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

By sourcing low-impact products and technologies, ClimateWorks succeeded
in demonstrating the potential to create a bright, healthy and energy-efficient
work environment. Phase 1, completed in March of 2009, is the highest scoring
LEED-CI Platinum project to date in California. Phase 2, completed in May 2010,
is expected to be the first commercial interior to achieve Platinum Certification
under the new LEED-CI V3 rating system. In addition, the foundation received
an Honor Award in the Energy + Sustainability category at the AIA (American
Institute of Architects) San Francisco Awards. Teknion’s District® furniture system
and Synapse™ guest chair are among the products that contributed to a remarkable level of sustainable performance.

Among ClimateWorks’ sustainable strategies:
• 74 percent of all wood was sustainably harvested – FSC® certified
• fabric installations on the ceiling and light-colored walls increase light reflection
and have reduced energy usage by 59 percent
• low-emitting materials, finishes and furniture reduce indoor air contaminants
• operable windows and design maximize daylight and natural ventilation
• 97 percent of regularly occupied spaces have access to natural daylight
• 99 percent of regularly occupied spaces have views from a seated position

According to architect/interior design firm Leddy Maytum Stacy, the biggest
challenge in the design of the project was “creating a non-traditional, sustainable
environment in a very traditional building.”

...the biggest challenge in the design of the project was “creating a non-traditional, sustainable environment in a very traditional building.”

The Response

“The green qualities and materials used in District were deciding factors in its selection by the ClimateWorks Foundation,” says Catherine Brannan, Account Manager with SideMark, Teknion’s dealer-partner on the project. “The client was also struck by District’s nice layered look, plus its interesting storage options. ClimateWorks is very happy with District. For a recent expansion, the foundation chose to replicate the District workstation design from Phase 1 of the project.”

ClimateWorks was also influenced by District’s successful installation three years earlier at the San Francisco-based Energy Foundation, the first project in California to achieve LEED-CI Platinum certification. “We won this installation thanks to a great product and our experience with other LEED projects,” adds Brannan.

Described as a warm and inviting space, the ClimateWorks office houses 48 District workstations. Inspired by the low, horizontal lines of mid-century modern furniture and the lighter scale of European products, District cabinets and desks look like real furniture yet provide the flexibility and functional advantages of systems. For the ClimateWorks project, District workstations feature tackboards with 100 percent recycled polyester panel fabric. Teknion also supplied FSCcertified cores and veneers on the Flintwood product. Other Teknion product includes 30 Synapse wood side chairs, specified due to its strong sustainable attributes.

“The ClimateWorks Foundation’s new office fosters creative interaction among staff, accommodates future growth and welcomes international visitors – everything it was designed to do,” says Tony Smith, A & D Market Manager based in Teknion’s San Francisco showroom. “The client wanted a healthy, resource-efficient workplace that reflects the importance of energy efficiency and carbon reduction while reinforcing its corporate culture. The informal living room, workstations and office locations support collaborative space while maintaining important staff adjacencies.”

Princeton University - Teknion Case Study Image

Inspired by the low, horizontal lines of mid-century modern furniture and the lighter scale of European products, District cabinets and desks look like real furniture yet provide the flexibility and functional advantages of systems.

Princeton University - Teknion Case Study Image

"The informal living room, workstations and office locations support collaborative space while maintaining important staff adjacencies.”

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