Kelsey Civic Center
The Kelsey Civic Center is an affordable housing project in downtown San Francisco that will provide a housing solution for some of the city's most in-need population, with 25% of units reserved for people with disabilities. The building will include a Disability Cultural Community Center, 80 studios and 32 two-bedroom apartments.
The project began as a competition through the C40 Reinventing Cities program, in 2018. C40 is a network of cities around the world, making up more than 20% of the global economy, united in their commitment to confront the climate crisis. The Reinventing Cities program intends to catalyze the transformation of underutilized urban land with new sustainability and resilience focused projects in the C40 cities.
Owner
The Kelsey Foundation + Mercy Housing
Size
87,400 GSF, including 112 units
Architect
WRNS Studio and Santos Prescott & Associates
Performance
All electric, carbon-free operations,
Greenpoint Rated - Gold, 26.2 kBtu/sf-yr
Professional Services
MEP & Energy Analysis
Construction Completion Date
2025
The design team, which included Point Energy Innovations, WRNS Studio & Mikiten Architecture, was assembled by The Kelsey, the project’s developer, and went on to win the international competition. The Kelsey Civic Center was awarded an underutilized 1.3 hectare site, next to San Francisco City Hall. The collaboration of the design team throughout the competition and design phases resulted in the transformation of this neglected property into an efficient, affordable and inclusive housing project serving the San Francisco community.
The project uses passive design strategies such as a high performance facade, with R-16 thermal performance at the walls and R-42 roof assembly, as well as highly insulated Solarban 70 windows, to reduce HVAC system loads within the occupant spaces. The temperate climate in the Bay Area allows for a heating only system, provided by baseboard electric resistance heating, paired with energy recovery ventilators for ventilation and exhaust from the bathrooms, to reduce energy use.
Domestic hot water is the single largest energy end-use in multifamily buildings. Water-efficient plumbing fixtures will reduce water use without compromising quality. A centralized heat pump water heater greatly reduces the energy use associated with domestic hot water production. Special attention was given to the efficiency of the HPWH, given the large impact it will have on overall energy use. Significant effort was made to keep construction costs affordable and to use readily available and easily maintainable equipment.
The building will be carbon-neutral in operation with 100% all-electric MEP systems resulting in an energy use intensity (EUI) of only 26.2 kBtu/SF/year. On-site renewable energy generated by a 39 kW roof-mounted PV array will offset approximately 10% of annual energy use. All remaining power needs are to be supplied by a renewable power purchase plan, and the electrical system is designed to accommodate a future battery storage system.
Other sustainability features of the project include:
- Abundant green areas and vertical planting
- Wood and low-carbon concrete construction materials
- No car parking, transit-rich location, on-site secure bike parking, and support for residents using car alternatives
