Project Sustainability

As a critical component of the Bay Area regional public transportation network, the Transbay Transit Center Project contributes greatly to the regional sustainability goal of alternative public transportation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the project will incorporate many sustainable design and green building features, including a green roof, and environmentally-friendly elements to conserve water and energy.

One of the most visible sustainable features is the 5.4-acre roof top park. “City Park” will serve as a living roof on the Transit Center, reducing the urban heat island effect common in dense city environments and helping to filter the surrounding air. The park is being designed with efficient irrigation and drainage systems and will incorporate climate appropriate plants.

In addition, the new Transit Center will take advantage of natural daylight to offset the need for electric lighting during daylight hours while light columns will bring natural light into the internal areas of the station.

The Transit Center will help support San Francisco’s aggressive recycling goal of reaching 75 percent diversion (and eventually zero waste) by providing three-stream waste separation that includes compost, recyclables and trash receptacles inside the facilities and on the rooftop park. In addition to supporting progressive recycling and composting during transit center operations, the project intends to meet the LEED requirements for construction waste management while the new Transit Center is being built.

The project will also earn several LEED credits for storm water runoff reduction, water conservation and irrigation water use reduction. The current water system design will reduce total potable water use in the Transit Center by half and will address all aspects of water conservation including building uses, irrigation, water reuse and more.