50 UN PLAZA
San Francisco, California
Photo by Architectural Resources Group, Inc.
The renovation of the Federal Building at 50 UN Plaza is funded by the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, intended to help convert
the federal building stock into high-performing sustainable structures.
Operating as a federal building since its opening in 1936, it will be the
future home of GSA Region 9, the landlords and builders for the federal
branch of government on the Pacific Rim, and a showcase for appropri-
ate sustainable measures in a significant historic building.
Built before the advent of air-conditioning, 50 UN Plaza takes advan-
tage of free natural resources such as abundant daylight and fresh air. A
central courtyard ensures that no workspace is more than 20 feet from a
daylight source, and all exterior windows are operable to allow fresh air
and cooling into the building. Steam radiators that have been in opera-
tion since the building opened will be re-used and equipped with indi-
vidual controls for heating. Cei ing fans and operable windows complete
the fine-grained user control! of the interior environment.
Lighting circuits will be equipped with both daylight and occupancy
sensors wirelessly connected to electronic dimming ballasts, providing
HKS
the correct levels of electric light to match the prevailing conditions and
reducing energy use through lighting by more than half.
For GSA, the building is a proving ground, a demonstration to its em-
ployees, consultants and clients of the approaches and technologies that
can make any facility more comfortable and reduce its carbon footprint. It
answers basic questions about how to approach historic buildings and outfit
them to function in the 21st century without losing the essential character
that gives them value and connects us to our heritage.
Some key sustainable design elements are:
•	Operable windows for thermal conditioning and ventilation
•	Daylight and occupancy sensors to significantly reduce electric lighting
loads and commensurate heating of occupied space
•	Life-cycle analysis to determine efficacy of retaining steam radiator system
•	Green roof for habitat to reduce urban heat island and provide storm
water treatment
• Building space type:
Office
• Tota square footage:
256,000 sq/ft
• Energy Use Intensity (EUI):
102 kBtu/sf/yr
• Percent C02 reduction:
59%
• ENERGY STAR design rating:
97
ANNUAL SAVINGS STATISTICS
(COMPARED TO AN AVERAGE BUILDING EPA RATING OF 50)
• Energy savings:
37,107,202 kBtu
• C02 savings: 1,010 Metric Tons C02/yr

DESIGNED
TO EARN THE
ENERGY STAR
The as imated energy
performance fort isde ign meets
US EPA c ite i . The b il ing will
be eli ible for ENERGY STAR after
m int i ingsupe ior performance
for one yea .

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