Kaiser Borsari Hall: A Mass Timber Path to Net Zero Energy and Zero Carbon
Article Summary
Western Washington University's Kaiser Borsari Hall shows what is possible when cost, carbon, and building performance are considered together from the earliest stages of a project. Mortenson partnered with Western Washington University and the design team to advance mass timber construction, reduce embodied and operational carbon, and deliver an all-electric living laboratory that achieved Living Future Zero Carbon and Zero Energy certification.
When Western Washington University set out to create one of the most sustainable higher education buildings in the country, the team faced a difficult challenge: how to achieve net-zero energy and zero-carbon goals within the constraints of a state-funded budget. Mortenson partnered with WWU and the design team from the earliest stages of preconstruction to evaluate options, align sustainability goals with cost realities, and identify opportunities to reduce both embodied and operational carbon.
Opened in early 2025, this four-story Electrical Engineering and Computer Science facility is a “living laboratory” designed to inspire the next generation of climate innovators through immersive, biophilic design and cutting-edge sustainability strategies. Now, after an extensive operational performance audit, the project has officially achieved Zero Carbon and Zero Energy certification through Living Futures.
See the full project profile for our team, partners, and awards.
How Mortenson Helped Balance Net-Zero Goals with Budget Reality
Mortenson immediately engaged with WWU, Perkins&Will, and the design team as the GC/CM to navigate the rigorous requirements for reducing both embodied carbon (emissions from materials and construction) and operational carbon (emissions from energy use over time). Achieving certification meant the building had to operate entirely on renewable energy and maintain net-zero operational carbon emissions for at least 12 consecutive months.
Working within a state-allocated budget, the project team needed to carefully evaluate every major design decision through the lens of sustainability, cost, and performance. During preconstruction, Mortenson worked alongside WWU, Perkins&Will, and AEI to compare systems, evaluate alternatives, and identify opportunities to maximize carbon reduction without sacrificing educational program space or project goals.
This graph shows the life cycle assessment (LCA) for a typical STEM building, along with the team’s efforts to reduce both embodied and operational carbon, ultimately aiming for net-zero carbon emissions.
79% Embodied Carbon Reduction
Mass Timber at the Core
From the outset, the team made embodied carbon reduction a guiding principle. The team conducted early design-option studies to evaluate structural systems, assemblies, and envelope materials. The result: a mass timber structure utilizing cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels and glulam beams and columns, which significantly reduces the carbon footprint compared to traditional steel and concrete.
Engineering partner Coughlin Porter Lundeen (CPL) compared concrete, steel, and timber structural systems to understand their carbon impacts. Using life cycle assessment tools throughout design, the team made informed decisions and continually tracked progress toward its carbon reduction goals. Perkins&Will used this information to monitor and refine the building's overall carbon footprint as the design evolved.
Mortenson’s estimating team procured the mass timber within 600 miles of the site on a public funding cycle from Kalesnikoff, a supplier committed to sustainable forestry. Prefabricated components and early BIM coordination streamlined construction, reduced waste, and cut build time by 25%. This also minimized site traffic, noise, and the need for heavy equipment, benefiting both the project and the surrounding community.
Even the building’s exterior reflects its sustainability ethos: Shou Sugi Ban siding, a traditional Japanese technique that chars wood, enhances durability and beauty without harmful chemicals.
Mortenson Identified a $2M Cost Savings Opportunity While Reducing Carbon
The lightweight timber structure allowed for a reduced foundation footprint, using aggregate piers and minimizing concrete and steel in the seismic system. During schematic design, Mortenson challenged a key assumption in the original design: the need for a basement electrical room. By relocating the electrical room to the first floor, the team eliminated the basement entirely, reducing concrete use, saving more than $2 million in project costs, and avoiding 226 tons of embodied carbon without compromising building functionality or program space.
Another strategic move was integrating a bridge to the adjacent Communications Facility, allowing the project to leverage 23,500 assignable square feet of existing lab and office space, promoting connectivity between the existing computer science spaces and the new spaces. This reduced the new building’s footprint by 60%, further lowering embodied carbon and optimizing resources.
Reducing Carbon and Waste on the Jobsite
Mortenson’s approach to constructing Kaiser Borsari Hall exemplified a deep commitment to sustainable construction, not just in building performance, but in execution as well. From day one, the team aligned with the Contractor’s Commitment to sustainable building practices, adopting a standardized framework to track and reduce embodied carbon throughout construction.
Mortenson did not treat carbon reduction as a one-time design exercise. Throughout construction, the team tracked embodied carbon trends, collaborated with trade partners to reduce transportation and jobsite emissions, and regularly shared carbon performance data with WWU. This allowed the university to make informed decisions throughout the project rather than waiting until completion to understand performance outcomes.
To reduce fuel consumption and emissions, Mortenson implemented an array of low-carbon strategies:
- Electric equipment and generators replaced traditional gas-powered options
- A temporary power plan eliminated the need for fossil fuel-based systems
- Energy metering tracked consumption across the site
- An anti-idling policy was enforced for all deliveries, equipment, and vehicles
- Employee commuting patterns were monitored to assess and mitigate travel-related emissions
A key part of Mortenson’s carbon reduction strategy was its buy-out approach, which prioritized local and domestic materials. This reduced transportation emissions and supported regional suppliers, an important win for both sustainability and the local economy.
The team also focused on minimizing non-permanent materials and reducing construction waste. Prefabrication and just-in-time delivery helped streamline operations and cut down on excess.
Throughout construction, Mortenson provided embodied carbon trending data to WWU, giving the university real-time insights into the project’s carbon profile. This proactive data sharing allowed WWU to plan for any necessary offsets and make informed budget decisions, well before project closeout.
100% Operational Carbon Reduction
Designed for Performance, Built for the Future
Kaiser Borsari Hall isn’t just designed to be efficient—it’s engineered to operate as a net-zero energy building. Through deep collaboration between Mortenson, Perkins&Will, WWU, and project partners, the team implemented a suite of high-performance systems and strategies that dramatically reduced operational energy use while maintaining flexibility, comfort, and long-term value.
Early in the design process, AEI used advanced energy modeling to evaluate potential design scenarios. This process helped the team identify the most effective combination of building systems and energy-saving strategies while maintaining occupant comfort, durability, and long-term value.
The result was a layered, synergistic approach to energy reduction, where each system reinforced the others' performance. Decision-making was guided by tools like A3 and Choosing by Advantages, ensuring that selections balanced energy performance with cost, durability, comfort, and architectural impact.
One of the most impactful decisions was adopting a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system, a ductless HVAC solution that uses refrigerant to heat and cool individual zones. Compared to traditional systems, VRF offers greater energy efficiency, enhanced occupant comfort, improved controllability, and reduced mechanical space requirements.
This shift, along with other design optimizations, reduced lab energy use by over 80% and delivered 25% energy savings beyond LEED Gold-level performance.
To set and validate performance targets, the team benchmarked against industry standards:
| Standard | Energy Use Intensity (EUI) |
|---|---|
| Typical Lab (I2SL Median) | 168 kBtu/sf-yr |
| LEED Gold Target | 40–45 kBtu/sf-yr |
| Zero Energy Target | 31 kBtu/sf-yr |
| Kaiser Borsari Hall Achieved | 33.58 kBtu/sf-yr |
All Electric and 100% Renewable Energy Systems
Kaiser Borsari Hall is a fully electric building, operating independently from WWU’s natural gas-powered steam plant. Mortenson worked closely with McKinstry and WWU’s facilities team to ensure seamless integration of all-electric systems.
Key features include:
- Photovoltaic (PV) panels covering 75% of the roof (per Living Future certification requirements)
- Remaining energy supplied via Puget Sound Energy’s Green Direct program
- Future-ready battery storage is planned to enhance energy resilience
Passive Strategies That Cut Energy Use
Beyond mechanical systems, the building incorporates a range of passive design strategies to reduce energy demand and enhance occupant well-being:
- 90% of occupied spaces have direct access to daylight and views
- Ultra-high-performance curtainwall system with dual low-e coatings improves thermal performance
- Punched windows and south-facing sunshades reduce solar heat gain
- Natural shading from the Sehome Hill Arboretum and adjacent buildings further enhances comfort
Recognizing that plug loads significantly impact energy use, Mortenson worked with WWU to evaluate the efficiency of new versus existing equipment, educate occupants on energy-saving practices, and implement submetering to monitor usage. The team strategically placed control receptacles in lab spaces alongside the code-required standard office and conference locations to encourage active participation in energy management from students, faculty, and facilities alike.
Intelligent building controls were also optimized to balance energy performance with comfort, supporting the building’s long-term sustainability goals and ensuring it functions as intended while operating as efficiently as possible under variable occupancy and utilization. The design combines manual and automated building controls for the building's lighting, receptacle, and HVAC systems. Daylight harvesting and occupancy/vacancy sensors reduce lighting energy. Controlled receptacles reduce plug equipment energy. CO2 demand-controlled ventilation, paired with unoccupied temperature and ventilation setbacks, minimizes HVAC energy for ventilation and space conditioning.
This holistic approach ensures that the building not only performs as designed but continues to do so for decades to come.
A Model for Net-Zero Higher Education Construction
Kaiser Borsari Hall demonstrates what is possible when sustainability goals are integrated into decision-making from day one. By partnering with WWU during preconstruction, continually evaluating tradeoffs between cost and carbon, and tracking outcomes throughout construction, Mortenson helped deliver one of the nation's most ambitious higher education sustainability projects while maintaining alignment with budget, schedule, and program objectives.