“The Terry Thomas provides a window into the soul of a firm that practices what it preaches and whose approach to sustainability is as much rooted in common sense as it is in the eco-enthusiasm of its employees.” – Jim Schneider, eco-structure, 6.2008

The Terry Thomas is a highly sustainable, LEED Gold for Core and Shell certified commercial building located in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood. Wrapped in windows, it is a building designed along a modern aesthetic with a combination of time-tested strategies from the pre-HVAC era and complimentary new technologies. It is Seattle’s first commercial office building structure developed in decades without central air conditioning and is a working demonstration of the possibilities of sustainable design.

The design choices made for The Terry Thomas reflect changing attitudes about the environment, climate change and employee well-being. The building reduces its carbon footprint with no air conditioning, reduced lighting, a feature stair that encourages use, and a single elevator. The passive cooling system features operable windows, automated louvers and a courtyard. Warm air is drawn into the central courtyard, which acts as a chimney, sending it skyward. Glass sunshades, exterior automated blinds, and a reflective roof protects occupants from solar heat gain. Designing to optimize the natural ventilation went hand in hand with enabling natural light to penetrate the building, dramatically reducing the need for electrical lighting. Both strongly contribute to occupants’ well-being, satisfaction and productivity – part of The Terry Thomas’s original vision.