Dreyfuss & Blackford was engaged to design a new headquarters campus for the California Independent System Operator (Cal ISO), the public benefit corporation that operates the State’s high-voltage electrical grid and distribution system. When they elected to pursue design/build delivery, we were retained as the design architect.
Cal ISO has a 25-acre site of rolling grassland and native oaks. We developed a parti of three interconnected wings specialized for their specific functions. The public wing provides board and meeting rooms, training rooms, and interpretive exhibits; the multi-story office wing houses staff and educational support services; and the Mission Critical wing provides a secure control room with full system redundancy for truly uninterrupted operations.
The project met ambitious efficiency and sustainability goals, in keeping with Cal ISO’s mission. Features include thermal energy storage, photovoltaics, and preservation of native oak woodlands and is certified LEED Platinum. Cal ISO has a leadership position in California’s energy future and this headquarters building reflects that leadership.