Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions, Sourcing Renewables  -  May 19, 2022

Google Opens All Electric Campus

Google’s Bay View campus officially opened to employees and its Charleston East project is in the final phase of construction. This marks the first time the company developed one of its own major campuses that is an all-electric, net water positive campus with the largest geothermal installation in North America that used sustainable design in the workplace.

To deliver on Google’s commitment to operate every hour of every day on carbon-free energy by 2030, the company prioritized renewable energy and maximized the solar potential of our buildings. Bay View’s first-of-its-kind dragonscale solar skin and nearby wind farms will power it on carbon-free energy 90% of the time.

The design focused on people and Google used elements you can see and feel — like materials, daylight, air quality, thermal comfort and acoustics, David Radcliffe, Vice President, Real Estate & Workplace Services, wrote in a blog ,  which provided the following examples from throughout the campus:

• The campus incorporates biophilic design principles — like greenery, natural daylight and outdoor views from every desk — to improve the health and wellbeing of those inside. Clerestory windows modulate direct light onto desks with automated window shades that open and close throughout the day.
• The ventilation system uses 100% outside air — a remarkable achievement when you consider that a typical system only uses around 20-30% of outside air.
• To create the healthiest environment possible, the company vetted thousands of building products and materials to remove toxins. Everything from carpet tiles, paints, piping, plywood and furniture were evaluated using the Living Building Challenge Red List as a framework.

The integrated geothermal pile system will help heat and cool the campus. The massive geoexchange field is integrated into the structural system, reducing the amount of water typically used for cooling by 90%.

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