About the Building

2880 Junction is a 2 story Class A commercial R&D office building located in the San Jose submarket of Silicon Valley. Originally built in 1989, it is one of 5 buildings in a 24 acre campus owned by MetLife Investment Management and managed by Cushman & Wakefield. The asset is a single tenant building, which was vacant during the evidence collection process.

MetLife Investment Management understands the impact buildings have on people, communities and the environment. In addition to bringing to light the many opportunities to enhance the amenities which promote the health and wellbeing of the building’s occupants, the project team sought to identify areas for energy savings and water use reduction through operational efficiencies.

Building features:

• LED lighting with occupancy sensors and daylight harvesting
• Controllable programming of HVAC and lighting
• High efficiency mechanical equipment & boiler
• Low water usage fixtures and appliances
• Drought tolerant and native plants and trees
• Large breakroom with seating on adjacent 2,572 SF outdoor balcony
• Campus shared café and fitness center
• Large sections of full-height glass and punched glass windows
• Large trash enclosure accommodates recycling and refuse management
• Energy efficient roof membrane

Why did the building undergo BREEAM certification?

MetLife Investment Management uses its buildings’ sustainability certifications to provide a foundation and help guide current and future sustainability initiatives.

The building scored 100% in Waste, 76.92% in Materials and 66.67% in Land Use & Ecology, reflecting the robust design of the building, its grounds/landscaping and trash enclosure. Additionally, the sustainability minded design of the 2012 and 2015 building improvements generated points for energy efficient lighting and HVAC equipment.

We expect future procurement/management to be informed by the BREEAM In-Use sustainability framework at this and other locations undergoing redesign and/or improvements.

Green Strategy

Prior to the process, the building did not have a holistic framework within which to evaluate the occupant wellbeing or environmental performance of the asset. BREEAM In-Use provided the performance criteria to assess a broad range of factors across each of the seven categories in Part 1 – Asset Performance.

We found many challenges to assessing an unoccupied asset in the middle of an improvement project. Mark Klein with UL, and BRE technical provided guidance in determining the occupancy count and providing evidence.

Additionally, Breana Wheeler, Director of Operations, US, was invaluable in guiding the initial launch. She continued to support the efforts of the management team, which had no prior experience with BREEAM, throughout the process.

Benefits of assessing to BREEAM

In addition to BREEAM being a positive talking point for leasing tours and tenant meetings, BREEAM incorporates sustainable features into the design of the building, thereby decreasing operational costs, increasing tenant comfort and satisfaction, and protecting properties against risk.

MetLife Investment Management embraces its role as a responsible real estate investor and emphasizes consideration and incorporation of relevant environmental, social and governance objectives best practices in alignment with their clients’ objectives. The certification helps to demonstrate this commitment to stakeholders globally.