Microsoft Embraces Sustainable Practices as Buildings Come Down on Redmond Campus

Artist rendering of the Redmond campus modernization project

Microsoft has begun the demolition of 13 buildings on its 500-acre Redmond, Washington, campus; the company says it will be embracing sustainable practices as it removes the buildings to make way for 18 new ones. When the project is complete, the new campus will provide a more modern workplace and “create greater collaboration and community,” the company says.

During the demolition process, Microsoft is “putting a lot of effort” into finding innovative ways to reduce its impact and to optimize resource usage, says Michael Ford, Microsoft general manager of global real estate and security.

The company’s goal with this project is to divert a majority of building materials from the landfill. This means focusing on reusing, donating and recycling. Most of the materials in the old spaces, including everything from concrete and steel framing to carpets and ceiling tiles to electronics and networking gear, will find a new life.

The company is also exploring how and where deconstruction materials will be processed: Microsoft’s construction team is engaging with local waste processing and recycling companies to study and prioritize the hauling distances to further shrink the project’s construction carbon footprint.

Ford says the company has made corporate and environmental responsibility as important as budget and schedule for the project.

At a time when space is at a premium and many companies are looking for a room to grow, Microsoft considers its Redmond campus a unique asset. Sustainable design features of campus renovation project include:

• New pedestrian- and cyclist-only bridge over Washington State Route 520 that will connect the center of
  East and West Redmond campuses;
• Multi-use outdoor spaces including running/walking trails, sports facilities and green space;
• An underground smart parking facility;
• “Energy-Smart Buildings” that use Azure for building system monitoring and optimization of energy usage.

In 2016, Microsoft became the first technology company in the US to be certified Zero Waste for diverting at least 90% of its waste from landfills. The campus project will be adhering to the principals embodied in its Zero Waste program.

The campus modernization project will take five to seven years to complete, with the first new building available for occupancy in five years, Microsoft says.