In its first 10 years, the Bullitt Center has generated nearly 30% more energy from solar panels on its roof than it has used, which is enough excess to power 41 homes in Seattle for a year. Since opening on Earth Day 2013, it has shown indisputably that net-positive energy buildings are possible anywhere.
“We were told point blank by seven well-respected developers that a six-story office powered entirely by the sun was impossible in Seattle,” said Denis Hayes, CEO of the Bullitt Foundation and driving force behind the project. “I’ve never put much stock in conventional thinking.”
In ten years, the Bullitt Center generated 2,475,021 kWh of energy, which was 551,481 kWh more than the building and its occupants used for all purposes. The average Seattle house uses 13,376 kWh annually.
In addition, the building collects and treats rainwater for all purposes, including drinking. As a result, it has also operated as net positive for water over its first decade as well. In other words, the building has created more clean, drinkable water than it has used. The rainwater-to-potable water system offers a model of resilience, and it represents a strategy to manage stormwater for cities to consider.
More than 10,000 people have visited the Bullitt Center since it opened on Earth Day 2013, including the largest home builder in the world, heads of state and other government leaders, and many real estate developers. While the building has directly inspired projects such as the PAE Living Building in Portland and the Kendeda Building at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, it has also had a much broader influence by changing the conversation about what’s possible. Today, buildings routinely pursue net-positive energy goals, screen out hazardous materials, and dramatically reduce upfront carbon emissions from the materials used in construction.
The building community overall is failing to meet the climate imperative; most buildings merely meet codes, which means they offer the worst performance that is legally allowed.
“While I am thrilled with the way the Bullitt Center has performed, I am deeply saddened by the lack of progress in buildings overall,” said Hayes. “Despite obvious signs of climate change everywhere, we continue to race towards a cliff.”
According to Energy Star, the average office building in the United States has an energy use intensity (EUI) of 116, which is a commonly used metric of energy efficiency. The Bullitt Center has an EUI of 16, an 86% reduction, showing the dramatic potential to further reduce energy waste and carbon emissions from building operations.
For more information about the Bullitt Center, please visit www.bullittcenter.org.