Northlake Commons has been awarded LEED Platinum, the highest level of LEED v4 certification. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an international symbol of excellence and the world’s most widely used green building rating system. Northlake Commons was developed in partnership between the Hess Callahan Grey Group, Spear Street Capital, and the Dunn Lumber Family. Glumac was the Sustainability Certification Consultant and Weber Thompson was the architect and landscape architect, making Northlake Commons its 20th LEED-certified project.

At 275,000 gross square feet, Northlake Commons is one of the largest mass timber lab-ready buildings in the country. Located in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood, the project weaves an ambitious program of restaurants, life science and office spaces, a lumber warehouse, and over 64,500 square feet of multi-level outdoor space.

“We are incredibly proud to see Northlake Commons achieve LEED Platinum certification,” said Joanna Callahan, Partner at Hess Callahan Grey Group.” It is a clear reflection of our entire team’s commitment to environmental stewardship, and meets Tenant demand for space that tangibly prioritizes health and sustainability.”

Northlake Commons achieved LEED Platinum certification as a Core and Shell project for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions in areas including sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. With a steel buckling-restrained braced frame lateral system, a slower cure concrete mix, and efficient use of regionally procured mass timber, Northlake Commons saved 2,524 metric tons of CO2e, reducing its embodied carbon by 23%. Other notable strategies and sustainable solutions that led to certification include:

• Prioritizing healthy and low-carbon materials through Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) and Health Product Declarations (HPD) tracking on over 80 installed products
• Construction waste management practices diverted 96% of all construction waste from landfills
• A regional stormwater biofiltration system cleans 6 million gallons of runoff annually
• Efficient building systems save 438,000 kWh of electricity per year with a projected EUI of 25 kBTU/sf/year
• Low-flow fixtures, native plantings, and efficient irrigation conserve more than 717,000 gallons of water per year
• A public plaza integrated with the Burke-Gilman Trail system features bicycle facilities that accommodate over 150 stalls — 65% more than required by code
• Biophilic principles embedded throughout the design promote tenant health and wellness via access to outdoor terraces, verdant plantings, natural wood surfaces, enhanced daylighting, and expansive views of Lake Union

“Northlake Commons’ LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” said Peter Templeton, president and CEO of USGBC. “LEED was created to make the world a better place and revolutionize our buildings and communities by providing everyone with access to healthy, green, and high-performing buildings. Northlake Commons is a prime example of how the innovative work of project teams can create local solutions that contribute to making a global difference.”

Certification is proof that Northlake Commons went above and beyond to ensure the space is constructed and operated to the highest level of sustainability. More than 197,000 commercial and institutional projects are currently participating in LEED, comprising more than 29 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and more than 186 countries and territories.

Additional team members include General Contractor: Swinerton; Civil Engineer: KPFF; Structural Engineer: DCI Engineers; Sustainability Certification Consultant: Glumac; M/E/P Engineer: Glumac; Building Envelope: RDH; Timber fabricator/erector: Timberlab.