In September, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s (LADWP) downtown headquarters, the John Ferraro Building (JFB), achieved LEED Zero Energy, making it the first building in California to receive this certification. LEED Zero, a program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), complements the building’s LEED Gold certification received in 2016. Having already received previous LEED certifications (LEED and LEED Gold) as a prerequisite, LADWP’s JFB was eligible to receive the LEED Zero certification as the building operated with net zero carbon emissions for the 2018 calendar year.
“We are excited to have achieved LEED Zero Energy at our headquarters,” said Nancy Sutley, Chief Sustainability Officer at LADWP. “This reflects not only how we manage our buildings, but also how we operate as a utility. This achievement demonstrates LADWP’s continued commitment to sustainability and industry leadership.”
Constructed in 1965, JFB is a 17-story, all-electric building that houses a third of LADWP’s 11,000-plus employees performing work in support of providing safe, reliable water and power to Los Angeles residents. As LADWP’s headquarters, it is important that the building be a showcase for the many sustainable and renewable efforts the Department is trying to advocate. JFB was able to achieve LEED Zero Energy by taking several steps including increasing energy efficiency and water conservation by participating in the Department’s own rebates, and implementing a pilot program to install the latest LED technology.
In addition to lighting retrofits, LADWP is planning to improve the current solar facility at JFB by replacing the existing solar modules with newer, efficient ones that can provide more than triple the amount the existing panels are rated for. New solar canopies will also be installed totaling a maximum of 1MW of solar potential. The installation will generate 1661 MWh annually, and will offset 578 tons of C02 emissions. This generation is also equivalent to powering 277 homes and removing 124 cars annually.
Additionally, a corner outside the JFB parking lot was expanded to accommodate a battery energy storage system (BESS) pilot project that will help determine the viability of battery technology in transitioning to a clean energy future for our customers and at other LADWP facilities.
This latest LEED Zero Energy recognition comes on the heels of JFB receiving the first-ever USGBC Pacific Region Leadership Award for Decarbonization.
