The David Brower Center Becomes Berkeley’s First LEED Platinum Building

The <a href="http://inhabitat.com/david-brower-center-is-a-green-built-non-profit-community-hub/">David Brower Center </a>is very unique in the world of office buildings as it is the home of several active environmental non-profits all working to save the planet. Lucky for them, their home just became the <strong>first LEED Platinum</strong> certified building in <a href="http://inhabitat.com/uc-berkeley-students-imagine-a-new-life-for-old-bay-bridge-span/">Berkeley</a>, upping the non-profits' green karma. With less than two years in operation, the event center, gallery space and office building is now one of 40 <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/leed-platinum">LEED Platinum</a> projects in the Bay Area and is working hard to become a super green epicenter.

Opened in 2009, the community center is fully leased and home to the Hazel Wolf Gallery, the organic gourmet restaurant, Gather.

The center is also home to a number of environmental non-profits including International Rivers, Center for Ecoliteracy, Citizen Engagement Lab and the Color of Change.

The space has also played host to over 500 green events and conferences.

Located just two blocks from a BART Station, the center is uber convenient for visitors and employees alike.

Designed by San Francisco-based WRT Design in collaboration with Loisos and Ubbelohde, Tipping Mar + associates for structural engineering, and Equity Community Builders as the developer, the center is super energy efficient and includes a slew of sustainable systems.

Rainwater is collected from the roof, a solar hot water system provides domestic hot water, an energy and water monitoring system is published live on the center's website and a solar system on the roof doubles as a sun shade.

Inside, the building makes use of recycled and non-toxic materials and all the offices rely on natural daylighting and ventilation.

The solar system on the roof, which also doubles as a sun shade.

Amy Tobin, Executive Director of the David Brower Center: “We’re honored to receive the highest possible rating for this state-of-the-art green building - we’ve hosted visitors from around the world who study its design."

"But the people inside the building are even more interesting … this has become a destination for dozens of emerging grassroots networks and businesses committed to sustainability. We’ve seen such a dynamic array of events, conferences and meetings: it feels like we get to work at the green epicenter of the Bay Area.”

Overview of the David Brower Center alongside Oxford Plaza, an affordable housing project built in conjunction with the community center.

Floor plans of the David Brower Center and Oxford Plaza.

Energy diagram of the David Brower Center.