Largest Passive House office building in the U.S. will be built in Chicago’s West Loop

A 12-story office building planned for 310 N. Sangamon in Chicago’s West Loop will become the largest office building in the U.S. to achieve Passive House certification (and only the second building overall) if plans recently unveiled by Mark Goodman & Associates, Inc. pan out. The building will offer 268,000 sf of office space and 7,800 sf of ground-floor retail.

The SCB-designed building will feature a dedicated ventilation system that will provide filtered, tempered, and 100% outdoor air to help keep employees more comfortable, alert, and productive. The interior spaces will use low VOC finishes and furniture to avoid out-gassing, which lowers air quality and presents both short- and long-term health effects.

The entrance at 310 N. Sangamon is pedestrian- and bike-friendly to welcome both office tenants and visitors to its 268,000 square feet of office space and 7,800 square feet of ground-floor retail. Courtesy SCB.

Office space will be dedicated to floors three through 12, while the second floor will feature an indoor parking garage with space for 47 cars. A fitness room, outdoor terrace, and bike storage room will be available to tenants.

310 N. Sangamon still needs zoning approval, but if completed it is expected to use about 86% less heating energy and 46% less cooling energy that traditional buildings.

Global management consulting firm McKinsey recently launched the Net Zero Built Environment Council, a cross-sector coalition of industry stakeholders aiming to decarbonize the built world. The council’s chief goal is to collaboratively create new pathways to cut greenhouse gas emissions from buildings.

Aerial of the 51-story 320 South Canal tower in Chicago looking northeast. Photo: Ian Jolipa

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