Presidio Tunnel Tops

Presidio Tunnel Tops revitalizes the Presidio of San Francisco and creates a must-see, national park destination for San Francisco’s diverse community and visitors from around the globe. Targeting LEED Gold and ReScape certifications, the 14-acre project showcases best practices for sustainable buildings and landscapes while creating a place that evokes the Presidio’s natural and cultural history and welcomes all, serving as a new high-performance community hub.

At a Glance

Client:The Presidio Trust

Location:San Francisco, CA

Industry:Government & Education

Size:14 Acres with 19,500 SF (conditioned)

Project Team:EHDD (Building Architect)James Corner Field Operations (Landscape Architect)Swinerton Builders (General Contractor)

Certifications:LEED NC v2009 Gold (targeting)

Solutions:

LEED NC Consulting
LEED & Title 24 Commissioning
ReScape CA Certification Consulting

The Challenge

Stok was engaged by the Presidio as sustainability consultant for the full site, including three buildings and the landscape. Specifically, Stok:

Managed the full scope of the LEED certification effort for the project’s three buildings
Provided LEED Enhanced Commissioning and Title 24 Commissioning for the three buildings
Oversaw the ReScape Certification of the entire 14-acre site

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By the Numbers

Average indoor water use reduction

35%

Outdoor water use reduction from sustainable landscaping

61%

Of plants (180 species in total) native to the Presidio

50%

Energy use reduction compared to code baseline

25-35%

The Solution

HIGH-PERFORMANCE BUILDINGS & PLACEMAKING

Designed by landscape architect James Corner Field Operations—best known for New York’s famous High Line—and EHDD, the project includes a seismic upgrade to a historic building, the creation of two new learning labs, and a public Field Station in addition to the landscape work. All buildings are targeting LEED Gold certification, with a focus on reduced water and energy usage. The project is centered on creating inclusive gathering and learning spaces for visitors, with new picnic areas and play structures designed to evoke the Presidio’s natural history, as well as trails and overlooks to connect visitors with the landscape, the park’s cultural history, and beauty of the waterfront neighborhood. Incorporating this goal throughout all aspects of the project, the team repurposed old and declined cypress trees from the Presidio to create natural site furniture, driving further connection to nature and play.

REGENERATIVE LANDSCAPING

In addition to LEED certification for the buildings, the landscaped site area is targeting Bay Area-focused ReScape certification, which recognizes excellence in regenerative landscape design, construction, and maintenance practices. Half of the plants selected—180 species in total—are native to the Presidio and the new gardens are planted with world class soil that was extensively tested against high standards and incorporates compost to naturally restore and replenish the soil. Compiled of nearly 200,000 native and ornamental drought-tolerant plants, the landscaping reduces outdoor water use by 61%. Stok is managing the ReScape certification process to ensure the site is recognized for its regenerative landscaping and best practices are shared.

For its outstanding leadership, Presidio Tunnel Tops was recognized as a 2022 Real Estate Deal of the Year by the San Francisco Business Times.