Department of Project Management

The Stanford Law School (SLS) has made sustainability a high priority and is proud to be planning a project in which a wide range of sustainability issues are being addressed. While some believe that sustainability, or “green” building, focuses primarily on energy savings and conservation, that important issue is just one of a wide range of elements that contribute toward making a project sustainable.

The following is a summary of the project team’s approach to sustainable strategies on topics ranging from site development, sedimentation and erosion control, alternative transportation, storm water management, light pollution reduction, solar orientation studies, water efficiency, energy and green house gas emissions, recycling and waste management, facilities maintenance, environmentally-friendly building materials, and indoor environmental quality.

The SLS Faculty Office and Clinic building’s design process has been a collaboration of Stanford Law School, Land, Buildings & Real Estate, and Polshek Partnership, along with the entire design team.  The design team members are committed to furthering the practice of sustainability and include numerous professionals who are LEED accredited by the U.S. Green Building Council.  Our sustainable design approach integrates efficient, cost effective and practical design solutions that improve the existing environmental conditions of the site, facilitate a safe, healthy working and living environment for the SLS campus residents, and minimize the project’s impact on the earth’s resources. 

Due to budget and management constraints, the design team decided not to pursue an official LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating.  The LEED Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance buildings, with emphasis in the following areas:

1. Sustainable Sites
2. Water Efficiency
3. Energy Use and Atmosphere
4. Materials and Resources
5. Indoor Environmental Quality
6. Innovation and Design Process

With the help of sustainability consultants at Atelier Ten, the design team has reviewed the LEED framework for assessing building performance and meeting sustainability goals.  Modeling LEED’s strategies for sustainable development, the SLS design team has evaluated and implemented the following tactics to achieve a high-performance, LEED gold equivalency building:

Conceptual Design

The Law School, Department of Project Management, and the design team undertook a Conceptual Design study in which the program and the project parameters were defined.  The project goals included the ‘right-size’ building, in which the program, building size, functionality, sustainability, maintainability, aesthetics, budget, schedule, and operations were balanced to provide the project that best met the Law School & university’s requirements.

Sustainable Sites

The proposed 70,000 square foot building is located on the site of the existing Kresge Auditorium, adjacent to the existing Crowne Quad.  The central location does not include further development of Stanford’s greenfields, creates better connections to existing infrastructure such as public transportation, and makes it easier for SLS students and faculty to connect and collaborate.

• Construction Activity Pollution Prevention: The contractor will reduce pollution from construction activities by controlling soil erosion, waterway sedimentation and airborne dust control.  Project design will implement a Storm Water Management Plan that will conform to local requirements and will provide construction and post-construction best management practices for sustaining these practices for the life of the buildings and campus.
• Site Selection: By choosing an infill site with development already surrounding it, the project avoided development of inappropriate sites and gave preference to a site that did not include sensitive site elements and restrictive land types.
• Alternative Transportation, Bicycle Storage, and Changing Rooms: The project will provide secure bicycle racks and changing facilities.  There are bicycle racks within the Law School Complex for at least 5% of the building's users. Showers, lockers, and changing facilities were recently installed at the Law School as part of  the Crowne Quad.
• Development Density and Community Connectivity: The project is on a previously developed site with existing infrastructure that did not impact greenfields or other habitats and natural resources.  The project proposes to develop the existing lot by densifying the site conditions with the construction of several multi-story, multi-use buildings that will enhance the character and services of the neighboring community.
• Alternative Transportation, Public Transportation Access: The campus Marguerite shuttle will have a stop on site and provide connectivity to the rest of campus, as well as VTA bus lines and CalTrain stations at Palo Alto and California Avenue. These CalTrain stations will serve commuters from outlying North and South Bay communities and may help mitigate the volume of automobile traffic to the site.
• Alternative Transportation, Low-Emitting and Fuel-Efficient Vehicles: The project will provide charging stations for three to four campus electric vehicles.
• Alternative Transportation, Parking Capacity: The parking meets local requirements.  Infrastructure and support programs facilitate shared vehicle usage such as carpool parking, designated parking for vans/buses and shuttles.
• Light Pollution Reduction: Through the coordination of site lighting design, codes, and Stanford University program requirements, the design team will determine sensible ambient lighting levels for the buildings and adjacent site features and intends to minimize the impact of light pollution from this project by specifying lighting fixtures that will not cause glare nor cast direct beam illumination into the sky and neighboring properties.
• Heat Island Effect Reduction: The integration of vegetation, arcades, and trellises at the balcony level, public spaces, and various roof terraces will enhance the beauty of the project and benefit users of the space by providing adequate shading from the sun in summer months.
• Solar Orientation Studies: Through the use of site and façade models, the design team is working to refine the massing of the buildings onsite and analyze areas of the campus that may benefit from the integration of overhangs, light shelves, and fins in their façade to minimize glare and heat gain in the summer, and allow for sufficient daylighting and heat gain in the winter.  These elements are intended to be practical architectural features such as roof screens, residential balconies, and privacy screens that will benefit the usability and architecture of the buildings.

Water Efficiency

It is our intent to meet and exceed Title 24 Energy Efficiency standards in water efficiency through the use of water efficient landscaping technologies, equipment and plumbing fixtures.

• Reduce Potable Water Consumption – Irrigation: Irrigation system is designed to reduce potable water consumption by at least 50%.  May consider storage and reuse of stormwater as alternative.
• Reduce Potable Water Consumption – Building Fixtures: Plumbing fixtures will use 30% less potable water than existing Stanford University buildings.
• Native and Adapted Vegetation: At least 50% of the site area will be landscaped with native or adapted typology with low water characteristics suitable to the Stanford climate.
• Tree Preservation: Comply with county heritage tree ordinance by preserving or transplanting healthy oaks.  Other trees will be preserved, reused or transplanted as feasible.

Energy Use and Atmosphere

Our goals for improving energy reduction and atmosphere intend to exceed Title 24 requirements through the use of high efficiency Mechanical and Lighting Systems.

• Reduce Building Energy Consumption & CO2 Emissions: Building shall be designed to emit no more than 21 pounds of CO2 per gross square-foot.
• Optimize Energy Performance: Energy conservation measures will reduce total building energy consumption by 30% over CA Title 24 Part 6: Energy Standard for Buildings. Provisions will be specified to calibrate Mechanical and Electrical Systems to perform at optimal levels and to adequately train maintenance staff on proper procedures for maintaining equipment to perform at optimum levels for the life of the buildings.
• Fundamental Commissioning: Independent commissioning agent will verify are installed, calibrated and perform according to project requirements, basis of design, and construction documents.
• Additional Commissioning: Commissioning process will begin during the design process and work with building operators to resolve outstanding commissioning issues after occupancy.
• Enhanced Refrigerant Management: Refrigerants will be selected with low greenhouse gas emissions and ozone depletion potential.
• Measurement and Verification: The building’s energy use will be evaluated over time to provide for the ongoing accountability of building energy performance.
• Ventilation Strategies: Natural ventilation will optimize indoor air quality and energy efficiency.  All strategies shall be designed to maintain either ASHRAE 55 thermal comfort criteria for high occupancy spaces or Adaptive Comfort for naturally ventilated spaces for the offices.  Faculty offices will have operable windows.
• Life Cycle Cost Analysis: Design decisions shall be made using life cycle cost analysis as outlined in the Stanford Policy for Life Cycle Analysis.

Materials and Resources

The project will strive to minimize the use of virgin and non-renewable building materials by substituting products made with recycled content or waste by-product.

• Storage & Collection of Recyclables: Project will include infrastructure to support recycling of waste generated by building occupants. Whenever possible, lawn and landscape clippings will be collected and deposited at the University’s local composting facility. 
• Construction Waste Management: 80% of demolition and construction debris will be diverted from landfill and either sent to local quarries, recycling facilities, or reused. Click here to see a list of all the materials that have been salvaged from the demolition of Kresge Auditorium.
• Recycled Content: At least 20% (based on cost) of building materials will contain recycled content.
• Use of Regional Materials: In cases where quality levels will not be compromised and budget is not problematic, locally manufactured and harvested materials and products shall be utilized to stimulate the local economy and minimize transportation costs and environmental impacts of materials from abroad.
• Use of Environmentally Friendly Materials including those with Recycled Content and from Rapidly Renewal Resources: There are opportunities to specify materials that are made from rapidly renewable sources, have high levels of recycled content, or can be recycled or biodegrade after their useful life.  All wood and wood-like materials used in the project shall be responsibly harvested or rapidly renewable if there is a source available. As there are materials that could be rapidly renewable (other than wood or wood alternate), the design team will focus on incorporating them into the building wherever possible.
• Cement Replacement with Alternate Binders: Approximately 30% of the cement used on the project will be replaced with either flyash (a waste by-product from coal fired power plants) or ground granulated blast furnace slag (a waste by-product of iron smelting). High volumes are considered to be 30% or greater for general purposes.

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)

Indoor environment can be improved thorough the integration of daylighting, the optimization of ventilation systems, and the specification of Low and No VOC finishes.  Some strategies to achieve this are as follows:

• Outdoor Air Delivery Monitoring: Indoor air will be monitored to provide fresh outdoor air into the building.
• Increased Ventilation: Outdoor air ventilation will be at least 30% higher than ASHRAE standards, improving occupant well-being, comfort and productivity.
• Construction IAQ Management Plan: During Construction: During construction, indoor air quality will meet or exceed the standards set by the Control Measures of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning National Contractors Association (SMACNA) to assure construction worker and occupant health and safety.
• Construction IAQ Management Plan: Before Occupancy: Air quality testing or building flush-out will be conducted prior to occupancy to assure a healthy indoor environment for occupants.
• Low-Emitting Materials: Adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, carpets, wood, and other building materials shall emit low or no amounts of contaminants that are odorous, irritating and/or harmful to the comfort and well-being of installers and occupants.
• Indoor Chemical and Pollutant Source Control: Occupant exposure to potentially hazardous particulates and chemical pollutants will be reduced by minimizing and controlling pollutant entry into the building and later cross-contamination of regularly occupied areas by installation of grills and walk off mats in all building entry ways. Areas that contain potentially hazardous chemicals, such as janitor’s closets, are exhausted to the outdoor environment.
• Controllability of Systems - Lighting: Provide a high level of lighting system control by individual occupants or by specific groups in multi-occupant spaces (classrooms, meeting rooms) to promote the productivity, comfort and well-being of building occupants.
• Controllability of Systems - Thermal Comfort: Occupants will have a high level of control over the temperature of occupied areas via operable windows and/or wall-mounted controls.
• Thermal Comfort - Design: Building will meet ASHRAE standards for Thermal Comfort Conditions for Human Occupancy by completing an adaptive comfort analysis and design system to adaptive comfort criteria.
• Thermal Comfort - Verification: Project team will perform occupant survey of thermal comfort after move in and correct identified problems.
• Daylighting: At least 75% of regularly occupied areas will use daylighting and provide occupants a connection to the outside environment.
• Control Moisture to Prevent Microbial Contamination: Where moisture precautions are needed, materials should be specified to discourage microbial growth.

Innovation & Design Process

• LEED Accredited Professional: The design team consists of numerous LEED accredited professionals to facilitate the application of sustainable practices and educate the project team members about green building design and construction practices. The LEED accredited professionals on the team include Stanford Project Management, architects, engineers, contractors and consultants.
• Innovation in Design – Green Education: A green education program will be instituted for faculty, staff and students.
• Innovation in Design – Green Cleaning: A green house cleaning program will be developed for building occupants and managers.