Thanks in part to Linetec and Wausau Window and Wall Systems, the Orchard Garden hotel in San Francisco is the first hotel in California to be certified under the
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™. It is only the third hotel in the U.S. and the fourth hotel in the world with this
distinction. Since its opening last year, the facility has been hailed for its innovative sustainable practices and named one of The Bay Area’s 100 Best Places to Work in April 2007.

The 55,255-square-foot, $25 million property was designed by Architecture International of Mill Valley Calif., and constructed by Swinerton Builders of San Francisco, known for their green building practices. Wausau worked closely with the design-build team and Capitol Glass Company, Hayward, Calif., to provide its SuperWall system, Terrace Doors, and five-inch Heritage Series windows.

Beyond the “green” finishing, Linetec applied two types of thermal barrier systems to The Orchard Garden’s insulated glass units. The thermal strut and pour and debridge systems are coupled with one-inch insulated glass to offer high-performance resistance to heat transfer. These thermal barrier systems improve energy-saving performance while strengthening the structural and long-term durability of the fenestration units.

The windows and doors meet or exceed the industry’s most stringent testing for forced entry, air infiltration, water and condensation resistance and structural integrity to withstand the West Coast’s environmental demands. Wausau’s glazing system accommodates the benefits of natural light, while controlling unwanted heat gain and helping reduce cooling costs by up to 20%.

“It was a great challenge to maximize natural light in an urban in-fill site such as ours with neighboring buildings on each side,” says Orchard Garden’s general manager, Stefan Mühle. “We are pleased that our hotel design provides large windows in every guestroom, as well as windows that bring daylight into the lobby, guest corridors and elevator landings on each floor. In addition to enriching the guest experience with light and views, the natural light allows us to use far less energy.”

Providing additional energy savings, every guest room uses a key card energy control system. Guests place their key card in a box inside the room, activating the electricity. When the guest leaves the room and the key is removed, the electricity is shut off. The use of chemical-free cleaning products, recycled paper and soy based inks, and fabrics and furniture build from sustainable-forest woods, also provides a safe, comfortable, environmentally conscious working environment for employees, helping it to achieve “The Bay
Area’s 100 Best Places to Work” distinction, a list complied jointly by the San Francisco Business Times, Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, East Bay Business Times and Deloitte.

Today’s socially conscious consumers also are becoming more aware of the “footprint” they leave, spurring an “eco-travel” surge in the hospitality industry. Orchard Garden, along with its sister property The Orchard, is a member of the

Located at 466 Bush Street, one block from Union Square’s shops and theatres, the financial
district, and legendary cable cars, the Orchard Garden Hotel caters to both business and leisure
travelers. Each of the 86 rooms is stocked with organic products and complete with a state-of-the-art audiovisual system including a large-screen LCD flat panel television, DVD and CD player, Wi-Fi access and an iPod docking station. Twenty-eight rooms and four suites feature views of the city’s skyline and two suites offer open-air terraces. Topping off the property, the 500-squarefoot Rooftop Garden is a furnished terrace with seating for intimate social gatherings.