Microsoft's Newest Amenity In Mountain View Will Be Sustainability, Wellness
Microsoft has begun modernizing its 32-acre Mountain View campus, and sustainability is the main feature. The tech campus will be among the first to target net zero nonpotable water certification under the Living Building Challenge.
It will have an integrated water management system that will use and reuse nonpotable water more than once and harvest rainwater. Microsoft also plans to install an on-site wastewater treatment plant. The company plans to reduce potable water consumption by 5%. Outside of drinking water from fountains and sinks, the campus will not use water from municipal sources for its landscaping and plumbing.
The buildings are designed to be LEED Platinum and incorporate a four-acre living roof and solar panels. It also will be one of the first major projects in the Bay Area to use cross-laminated timber, which will allow exposed finishes and require fewer materials during construction, Microsoft Chief Technology Officer Kevin Scott said in a blog post.
The design will include a neighborhood and courtyard indoor/outdoor concept to improve health and wellness. No employee will be more than 30 feet from natural light. The company also is pursuing WELL Building Gold certification.
Workspaces will use a flexible team-based approach and offer employees the ability to work in different spaces. The renovation will increase workspace by 35%.
The campus, which Microsoft bought in 2016 after leasing for 15 years, will be ready for occupancy December 2019.
