What are San Francisco’s greenest buildings?

Wondering where to find the greenest buildings in San Francisco? The city is hosting an international conference on environmentally-friendly construction this fall (Greenbuild San Francisco is Nov. 14-16), but you don’t have to attend the event or even be in the construction industry to appreciate these concepts.

We checked out the green building tours that are being offered during the conference to get the skinny on what structures in SF are achieving green greatness every day. Be inspired to incorporate green living concepts into your own daily living!

California Academy of Sciences – Greenest museum on the planet. The Academy of Sciences is the recipient of a double-LEED platinum certification, and the structure is topped off with a 2.5 acre green roof that blends into an adjacent hillside. (The roof acts as a natural air conditioner, keeping the museum up to 10 degrees cooler than other structures.) Energy consumption is optimized with radiant sub-floor heating and solar panels to collect the sun, and you can plug in your rechargeable car in the parking lot. The green features turn the museum into a living, breathing exhibit, focusing on real life science. Find it: 55 Music Concourse Drive in Golden Gate Park, open daily.

Zero Cottage – Car-free urban living in the city’s first “net zero passive house.” What does that mean? Reduction of energy emissions to eliminate all impacts on the environment from the structure is the goal. The construction of small studio style apartments was completed with extreme care and detail to achieve the ideal balance of input, output, and naturally-achieved temperature control. The photovoltaic solar collection system will produce more energy than the structure’s occupants will use in a year. It’s a carless community, so residents will use bicycles and public transportation to get around town.  Oh, and did we mention the cool architecture? Find it: 339 Shotwell Street. Tours by special event or invitation only.

Fort Baker – Turning historic buildings new and green. Staying true to the past and the future is the name of the game at Cavallo Point, where the historic structures that were once dedicated for military use have been transformed to the sustainable Cavallo Point Lodge. The hospitality industry is notoriously non-environmentally friendly, so pulling off a LEED gold certification is an impressive accomplishment. Educational efforts to share the lodge’s eco-sensitive mission are a good way to spread a green message to guests. Find it: 601 Murray Circle, Fort Baker, Sausalito.

Tah.Mah.Lah – Claimed to be the greenest house in America (pictured top right), Tah.Mah.Lah (which really reminds me of someone from the deep South drawling out tamale, but I digress..) is designed to have a 100-year lifespan and exceeds structural construction standards, so it can be dual-purposed as an earthquake shelter for neighbors in the event of a big one. The house is designed with fluid spaces to meet the changing needs of its occupants, and its filled with recycled/reused construction materials. Energy efficiencies also focus on recycling, including the on-site rainwater/wastewater treatment system. The home was awarded 2012 Project of the Year award in the National Green Building Awards presented by NAHBGreen. Find it: 170 Mapache Drive, Portola Valley. Note:  it is a private residence.