Developing a large-scale, multi-phased life science campus comes with unique challenges. From stringent sustainability goals to the highly specialized needs of lab tenants, Kilroy aimed to balance building performance with the strict operational demands of a cutting-edge research and development facility. Within this challenging environment, Kilroy engaged Stok to support its carbon reduction efforts in pursuit of LEED Gold certification for Phase 2, which includes office, lab space, amenity buildings, and a garage. Specifically, Stok:
At a Glance
Kilroy Realty, Randall Lamb, Woods Bagot
South San Francisco, CA
Life Science
865,000 SF (Phase 2); 3,000,000 SF (full campus)
Kilroy Realty (Owner) DGA Architects (Architect)Woods Bagot (Architect) Hathaway Dinwiddie (General Contractor)
LEED CS Gold (Phase 1)LEED Gold (Phase 2)
- Life Cycle Assessment (Phase 2)
- Energy Modeling (Phase 2)
- LEED CS and TI Fundamental and Enhanced Commissioning (Phase 1 and 2)
The Challenge
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Performed a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA) of the project’s structure and enclosure
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Provided LCA-based recommendations for embodied carbon reduction
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Commissioned all building systems
Sarah King
“Stok brought valued sustainability expertise to the design and construction process at Kilroy Oyster Point. The guidance Stok provided on material sourcing to drive embodied carbon reductions, and their commissioning services in support of high-performance operations helped Kilroy achieve important sustainability ambitions. The Stok team understands the complexity, demands, and time pressures of real estate development schedules and was easy to work with throughout the process.”
By the Numbers
Reduction in embodied carbon across all four buildings (Phase 2)
16%
The Solution
EMBODIED CARBON REDUCTION
Kilroy’s commitment to sustainability drove a focused effort on reducing embodied carbon, with a goal to surpass the 10 percent threshold required for LEED Gold certification. To achieve this, Stok provided material sourcing guidance using OneClick LCA software to analyze and compare the carbon footprint of various material options. Guided by carbon intensity performance targets in the material specifications and focused on high-impact materials—concrete, structural steel, and curtainwall glazing—the team successfully procured low-carbon alternatives and Phase 2 achieved a 16 percent reduction across all four buildings without increasing costs.
For its success in reducing embodied carbon across development, Kilroy Oyster Point Phase 2 is featured in Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) report, The Developer’s Guide to Embodied Carbon.
HIGH-PERFORMANCE OPERATIONS
As part of its unwavering commitment to long-term building performance, Kilroy integrated a comprehensive commissioning process to align system functionality with lab tenant needs. As commissioning agent, Stok collaborated closely with Kilroy’s team—including building ownership, general contractors, and operations teams—to bridge the gap between Core & Shell (CS) completion and Tenant Improvement (TI) fit-out. By validating and fine-tuning performance across all building systems early, Stok helped confirm that critical infrastructure was fully functional, code compliant, and flexible to accommodate tenant-specific modifications. With resilience as a priority, the team designed the mission-critical systems to incorporate N+1 redundancy, providing reliability and setting tenants up for long-term operational success.
Header: Lawrence Anderson
Renderings: Courtesy of Kilroy Realty Corporation
