After creating the comprehensive energy model for the neighboring Chase Center, Stok was brought onto the towers by Uber as the sustainability consultant and commissioning agent to help achieve the project’s ambitious goal of LEED v4 Gold certification, which grew into:
Having a dynamic team that was able to rapidly adapt in real time to the changing healthy building landscape was key to the project’s success. Originally engaged as the project’s sustainability consultant and commissioning agent, Stok introduced the WELL Building Standard to the team as a way for Uber to further support its employees’ health and well-being. Aligning with Uber’s employee-centric company culture, the project team opted to pursue WELL Platinum certification in addition to its initial LEED Gold target, with Stok leading both certification efforts at Blocks 3 and 4.
While initially pursuing WELL v1 certification, the project team reassessed its target when the International WELL Building Institute launched both WELL Portfolio and WELL v2 mid-schedule. Stok did a gap analysis between WELL v1 and v2, then led the project team in upgrading its certification pursuit to the more flexible and future-forward WELL v2.
The campus also achieved the WELL Health-Safety Rating, a brand new third-party verification to prepare spaces for re-entry during COVID-19, including implementation of procedures and programs to address cleaning and sanitization, emergency preparedness, health services, air and water quality management, and stakeholder engagement and communication.
Expanding its impact beyond the towers, Uber has committed to achieving WELL certification at all its new offices, demonstrating a commitment to employee health and wellness as well as leadership with the resilient building standard. This early adoption of WELL Portfolio under Stok’s guidance also streamlines certification costs and documentation across Uber’s offices.
Uber will soon begin data collection through WELL Portfolio-provided tools to understand the health and productivity impacts of the space via metrics like presenteeism and absenteeism. Stok will also provide monitoring-based commissioning (MBCx) services to help Uber optimize its building systems with continuous tracking for energy and health metrics.
For its leadership in sustainable and healthy real estate, Uber’s Global Headquarters has been recognized as a 2021 Fast Company Innovation by Design Real Estate Finalist.
Photo Credit: Eric Laignel
