Commitment to Sustainability

David Bohannon, Senior Vice President, Bohannon Development Company

Sustainability holds much opportunity for Menlo Park. As we work to win approval for the Menlo Gateway project, our commitment to sustainability encompasses more than just “green” building practices. We have always taken the perspective of developing projects that deliver benefits to the community, as well as to the businesses and people that use and occupy a specific building.

Our commitment to sustainability with Menlo Gateway starts with sustainable site design, which encompasses the land itself, through water conservation, mitigating light pollution and “heat island” effects, and generating renewable energy onsite. It extends through recycling existing building materials, using new materials with recycled content, and sourcing materials locally when possible. Efficient, high-performance systems and natural ventilation will support high indoor environmental quality.

We have also undertaken numerous measures to mitigate the impact of the project on Menlo Park. For example, we are connecting the project to Bayfront Park to provide pedestrian access, and improving intersections for better traffic flow. Finally, we are developing a carbon reduction plan for the project and evaluating strategies with a leading environmental consultancy to advise us throughout the project. As recognized standards for carbon neutrality continue to emerge , we will explore ways of incorporating them into the buildings and onto the site. Our ongoing green operational practices will help Menlo Gateway become – and remain – the standard for sustainable, private development on the Peninsula.

Menlo Gateway offers a tremendous opportunity to show just how attractive sustainability can be. Project architect Tom Gilman discusses how aesthetic design features enable the buildings to respond to their environment while becoming a visual asset to the community.