EPIC, a Class A creative office tower in Hollywood fully leased to Netflix, is the first large commercial building in the city of Los Angeles to implement building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), more commonly known as solar panels. Traditionally, solar panels are installed on rooftops, but commercial buildings have limited space available for this technology. We took the innovative approach of installing the solar panels into the building’s façade, generating electricity from its vertical exterior to offset electricity consumption. Throughout the design process, we educated city planners about BIPV technology and its sustainability benefits. We then procured the window system with BIPV as one complete package, which greatly streamlined the construction process.

At 1.5 million square feet, Bentall Centre in downtown Vancouver affords a unique opportunity for the thousands who office there to reduce waste. 2019 brought changes to Bentall Centre’s recycling streams: coffee cups were classified as mixed containers instead of compost, and paper towels as compost instead of mixed paper. We needed to clearly communicate these changes, and we enlisted Bentall Centre’s Green Team—a group of property management and tenants who assist with sustainable initiatives. The Green Team hosted educational events coincident with Waste Reduction Week in each of Bentall Centre’s lobbies, visited a recycling plant, created easy reference posters and made adjustments to waste signage and bin placement within tenant spaces.