Introduction to the Project
Located in downtown Redwood City, IQHQ’s Elco Yards is a new campus designed to bring together research, collaboration, and community. Spanning six city blocks adjacent to transit, the development includes four buildings — The Nest, The Shop, The Loft, and The Mill — each with its own character and purpose. The campus features lab and office space, supported with walkable access to a vibrant mix of amenities including retail uses, public open space across two plazas, a creek walkway, and a railroad walkway. Additional amenities include a curated public art program, an enhanced dog park, and childcare.
Designed to celebrate the neighborhood’s industrial roots while meeting modern needs, Elco Yards connects work, leisure, and community in one vibrant setting. Its location near the Caltrain Corridor provides easy access to transit and is within walking distance of homes, parks, and restaurants.
To support its sustainability and energy goals, the Elco Yards project team enrolled the project in the California Energy Design Assistance (CEDA) program. CEDA provided energy modeling and cost analyses to help identify strategies that reduce energy use and carbon emissions while keeping the project efficient and cost-effective.
Project Goals
From the start, the project team set out to create a high-performance, sustainable campus that balances design, efficiency, and wellness. The project has achieved LEED Gold certification across all buildings and Fitwel certification to emphasize its focus on health and community.
Lowering energy costs and reducing carbon emissions were central to the design process. Through participation in the CEDA program, the project team explored energy-saving options that aligned with its decarbonization goals without compromising the architectural vision. Three of the four buildings will operate entirely without natural gas, while the remaining building will include limited gas use. This design approach reduces the campus’s overall carbon footprint while supporting long-term operational efficiency.
Energy Efficiency Strategies
To achieve their sustainability goals, the design team implemented several energy-efficient systems across the campus.
- Heat-Recovery Chillers: Installed in three of the four buildings, these systems provide simultaneous heating and cooling while capturing and reusing waste heat. This design greatly improves overall energy efficiency and reduces carbon emissions compared to conventional heating and cooling systems.
- Central Heat-Pump Hot-Water Systems: All four buildings feature central heat-pump hot-water systems that provide an all-electric, energy-efficient solution for domestic hot water. These systems were designed in place of gas-fired alternatives, eliminating on-site combustion and supporting the project’s decarbonization goals.
- High-Efficiency Elevators: High-efficiency elevators were selected for all buildings to minimize energy consumption and support the team’s broader focus on sustainability and occupant comfort.
With support from the CEDA program, Elco Yards demonstrates how sustainable design and careful energy planning can bring environmental goals to life. The all-electric systems show how thoughtful energy planning can reduce emissions in large, mixed-use campus developments.
Client Testimonial
“Elco Yards reflects IQHQ’s commitment to delivering high-performance, forward-thinking developments. Partnering with the CEDA program helped us thoughtfully evaluate efficiency strategies and identify opportunities to reduce energy use and carbon emissions across the Elco Yards campus. The modeling and analysis helped us make informed decisions that support long-term operational efficiency and our commitment to sustainable development.”
Carey Algaze
Senior Director, Development
IQHQ
