Engineering News-Record (ENR) recently recognized San Mateo County Office Building 3 (COB3), designed by SOM, with prestigious distinctions for Best Project, Government/Public Building and Excellence in Sustainability. We’re really proud of our work and collaboration on the design of COB3 and the recent accolades have caused us to ask: what defines ‘Excellence in Sustainability’ and how do we achieve it?
AN AWARD-WINNING EXAMPLE
While the definition of sustainability excellence is broader than any single building, COB3 serves as an ideal case study. The recently completed office building totals 206,000 SF over five stories of mass timber structure and is located in Redwood City, CA, a location with a climate so mild that the City boasts “Climate Best by Government Test” on a prominent sign (never mind that the government test part is mostly made up!).
The all-electric facility features an H-shaped floor plan with approximately 65-foot typical cross-sections[1], thoughtfully designed to optimize natural daylight and ventilation possibilities. Its balanced envelope welcomes ample daylight and air while simultaneously minimizing heating and cooling demands. Automated operable windows facilitate both natural ventilation during the day and nighttime pre-cooling.
mASS tIMBER cob3 IN CONSTRUCTION
COB3 COMPLETED
Taking advantage of the favorable climate, the building incorporates a central air-handling system with 100% outdoor air economizer for interior loads (e.g. people, lights, and equipment) while perimeter fan coil units integrated into the windowsill meet envelope heating and cooling requirements. This two-pronged approach not only improved the energy efficiency of the building by decoupling perimeter and interior conditioning systems; it also reduced the size of exposed central ducting systems, better showcasing the beautiful timber structure. Finally, all-electric, air-source heat pump chillers provide the building with heating and cooling without water consumption. In addition, an extensive rooftop photovoltaic installation complemented by an adjacent parking garage array enables net-zero energy performance.
While the laundry list of low-energy and sustainable design features above paints a discrete picture, let’s take a step back and consider the higher-level processes, themes, and philosophies that lead to ‘Excellence in Sustainability’.
“WHEN ALL YOU HAVE IS A HAMMER, EVERYTHING LOOKS LIKE A NAIL”
As design professionals, our collective experience is our most valuable tool, and leveraging the lessons of the past allows us to begin new projects with a sense of direction and momentum. While it would be imprudent not to build upon our previous projects and experiences, we must remain vigilant about our blind spots and challenge ourselves to think beyond our most recent work.
Each project presents unique challenges and opportunities that demand focused consideration of its fundamentals: site, climate, program, occupant needs and expectations, construction and operating budgets, maintenance capabilities, and more.
When confronting a building's distinct challenges, we must thoughtfully evaluate whether calculated risks are warranted—perhaps pursuing innovative or less conventional design approaches—or if the optimal combination of proven solutions represents the wiser path. Nevertheless, bold design vision infuses sustainable architecture with excitement and inspiration. The thoughtful integration of fundamental principles with genuine intellectual openness creates the formula for achieving true excellence.
EARLY COLLABORATION
Due to unique circumstances, the project went through an expedited feasibility / Concept Design phase where MEYERS+ had the opportunity to collaborate with SOM at the project outset allowing the early establishment of cornerstone passive design principles that informed the fundamental massing and façade design of the building. Through early integration, key passive design features became integral to the building design rather than add-ons at risk of value engineering.
BEYOND ROI: IDENTIFYING MULTI-BENEFIT SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES
When budgets get tight, energy efficiency features viewed as “optional add-ons” often face rigid payback scrutiny in ways that other design decision don’t. Most design decisions are judged heavily based on cost, but subjective considerations are also important. However, energy efficiency measures can pay back over time and calculations of return on investment (ROI) can turn into pass/fail economic metrics, overlooking qualitative benefits.
One of the best defenses against short-sighted ROI-based decisions are design features that offer a wide variety of benefits. Operable windows may not be able to justify their cost based on natural ventilation energy savings, but they are also able to provide greater access to fresh air, pre-cool the space before occupancy, offer user control of the environment, and offer passive use of the building in the case of an emergency or unexpected loss of cooling systems. When viewed through this lens, operable windows – or other similar strategies such as exterior shading elements – can be seen to be far more beneficial than a simple ROI calculation may indicate.
COB3 PUBLIC LOBBY
EXCELLENCE EMBODIED: WHY COB3 SETS THE NEW STANDARD IN SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
COB3 represents far more than an award-winning building—it embodies a fundamental shift in how we conceive architectural excellence. Its ENR recognition for "Excellence in Sustainability" stems not from implementing a checklist of green features, but from cohesive design approach that began from the project outset and was informed by the place and people who use the building. By leaning in to passive design (while also preparing for more challenging conditions to come), COB3 turns Redwood City’s famously mild climate into a renewable resource. Its mass timber structure reduces embodied carbon while creating warm, biophilic interiors that connect occupants to nature.
The project demonstrates that excellence doesn't emerge from pursuing single-benefit solutions focused on ROI, but rather from design features that create cascading positive impacts across multiple dimensions—energy performance, occupant wellbeing, operational simplicity, and architectural identity.
In an era when sustainability is no longer optional but essential, COB3 shows that excellence lies not in doing less harm, but in creating both environmental and human benefit through architecture that is as beautiful as it is responsible.
[1] Images by @cesarrubiophotography, CMG Instagram