Commercial, Demand Management, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage  -  December 18, 2017

Microsoft plans efficient, net-zero water Calif. campus

^{Artist rendering of the modernization project that has begun at Microsoft's Silicon Valley campus provided by Microsoft.} 

In designing its new Silicon Valley campus, Microsoft Corp. is incorporating both energy and water conservation elements, accounting for California's frequent droughts. 

The campus, according to a Dec. 5 blog post, is expected to become the first tech campus with a net zero water certification once renovations are completed in December 2019. That means 100% of the building's non-portable water will come from rainwater or recycled water. The company outlines full details of how it will achieve that here. 

Plans for the renovation also include features to dramatically reduce energy use. Microsoft's Josh Henretig wrote that those elements include thermal storage— to reduce energy demand during peak grid usage — "and passive design strategies like natural ventilation and daylighting, as well as include the installation of solar panels across the campus."

Henretig added:

A 4-acre living green roof will cover the main buildings and support the local ecology, as well as our employees’ access to nature. And just like in Puget Sound, we’ll leverage our own technology further improve energy efficiency, using our Energy Smart Buildings solution.

The campus is targeting LEED Platinum certification, according to a Microsoft fact sheet. 

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