treating wastewater on-site for reuse in the building's toilets. >> the machine is an ecological waste treatment system for water resouls. so, the living machine to accelerate what happens naturally in nature is biomimickery that happens in tidal estuaries. it brings in nutrients to the microbes. it's delivered in the air, and does the rest of the process, chewing up those nutrients in the water and producing nitrogen and carbon. we're doing that in a system where we're creating 12 to 16 tides per day. >> the wastewater for our building begins its journey by travel tog our primary tank which is a fairly normal looking manhole. beneath these manholes is a 10,000 gallon primary tank.

there are two chambers. the trash chamber which filters out the trash and plastics and the organic solids settle out just as normal wastewater treatment process is. the water then flows to an equalization tank, a recirculation tank, and then on to tidal flow wetlands cell 1a. all those these cells look to be only 3 or 4 feet deep, they're actually 8 feet deep below this concrete sidewalk. the water repeatedly cycle into the cell from the bottom up. as the water comes up into this cell, it meets the microbes here to treat the wastewater. they flourish off the organics found in the wastewater. after multiple cycles, most of the wastewater treatment has already occurred and the water then flows to the vertical cells located around the corn iron polk street. 2c is located half outside on polk street and half inside in the building lobby. after the final polishing, the water flows to the disinfection

room of the basement of the building. there the water goes through two disinfection processes. first ultraviolet light, and second a dosing of chlorine. the treated water is stored in a 5,000 gallon reclaimed water tank where it is pumped throughout the building for toilet flushing purposes. the treatment cycle is complete and the water is reused again and again. this new building features a rainwater harvesting system. rainwater is captured from the building's roof and the children's play area along the side of the building and sent down to our disinfection room where there is a 25,000 gallon sis tern. the rainwater receives minor treatment and is used to irrigate the building's trees and landscaping. >> when we're resues using water we have on-site, we're not purchasing new water and we're also not putting sewage down into the sewer system which is costs money. this is a demonstration project of 5,000 gallons a day. it is the beginning of understanding and feeling comfortable with this technology that can be scaled up into eco districts and

community scale systems, campus-type systems where in those situations when the water is reused and the numbers are much higher, 50,000, 100,000, 200,000 gallons a day, imagine the savings on that that you're getting. you're not purchasing freshwater and you're not using the sewer and being charged appropriately. this wastewater processing and reuse technology is cutting edge. and although it's been successfully implemented in other cities, it will be one of the first such installations in an urban office building. >> here is a city agency that treats wastewater, but they send no wastewater to the treatment facility. that says a lot. >> it's got a 12 gallon per day occupancy using 5,000 gallons per day with a building officing 1,000 people. that turns out to save over 2.7 million gallons a year. >> the public utilities

commission runs water, power and sewer services for san francisco. we can't afford to be out of business after an earthquake. so, we're thinking about building a building. that building is going to hold our operations center and our emergency operations center for things like earth quack. that building had to be immediately occupiable. great. but we can do better than that. so, this new technology that we ended up using was a concrete building that straps basically, that goes through the interior of the building and allow the building to turn or twist as part of an earthquake as it corrects itself. >> in the course for the puc building, we've actually incorporated in addition to that steel that's embedded in the monolithic concrete, specialized high strength cables that are not bonded to the sound concrete, but are threaded through essentially hollow conduits in the cast concrete. and when those cables are spread, they're actually anchored and they're

actively in other floors and pressing down, forcing that concrete wall into a state of compression. and that's the characteristic which allows the building to shake, absorb energy from the earthquake, deform, and also come back to its original geometry. what that meant was the building would be functional. it meant it wouldn't have to be abandoned and fixed. >> we have probably the greatest specification for concrete ever developed for a project that has a really innovative structural system. one of the things that's evident from the research that's been done is that concrete is responsible for a significant amount of co2 production. and that's worldwide. and we developed a way in which we could incorporate replacement material such as flag and fly ashe to supplement

the portable cement and allow a big reduction in those carbon emissions associated with production from that poured cement. >> concrete for the building has a 70% replacement value with recycled materials fly ashe and recycled materials that would otherwise go to waste. reducing our carbon footprint in half. >> the way that we often do buildings in the city are often projects in the city is we go out and we do a low bid. somebody bids on something, we have to do everything that's expected out completely. and everything after that thorable change prosecretary is very difficult. spec ed out. >> we use design bid delivery method. in this one we did a construction manager gc, which really means that we bring the contractor on board as we design and they participate in the design. it brings a lot of collaboration.

>> the department of public works decided to try a more team oriented approach with this project. the best value approach. they really went to to us come on board as a team member and work with them. >> what that meant was the contractor allowing key subcontractors such as the electrical, mechanical, plumbing systems, would always be reviewed and looked at for constructability, for cost constraints, for scheduling. >> and it was a risk for the city. it was a change for the city, it was something very, very different. we met all of our project parameters, the budget, the schedule. we love this project. it is a fantastic example of what can happen when you take a risk, you do something differently, and you work together. you get a great result.

>> one of the things we're going to have in that building is going to be this media wall in the lobby. and that media wall has several things that it can show people, but one of the things it can show our employees and our visitors is how much energy, how much water, what we're using in the building. >> the wall is based on building data. we have total energy use per floor. we also have energy use in the building today that will show information and percentages on how much is being used today versus an average day. there's also information from solar, how much solar the building is producing, and showing the savings from solar. we also have reclaimed water and that will be shown per month. the center section is dedicated to water, wastewater and power. we have live information showing us how much wastewater has been treated so far from the night before. there is also a twitter feed and information that anyone that comes in can see, you

know, current news and information from the twitter. there's also bart information, when is the next bart leaving, when is the next train departing. and there is weather, hetch hetchy, and weather at san francisco. >> the physical arts wall is comprised of 54 feet, 160 high-definition monitors that has a 3-d motion detection that allows you to approach the wall and then to look at the contents that is there in front of you, which is a beautiful artistic narrative. and then as you move towards it, it activates the content that comes up. >> this is one of the applications we developed with communications team at the puc and it's called, and it's about water cycle, how the water comes down from the snow in yosemite, into the mouth of the reservoir, gets treated, produces power, comes all the way down to the city and gets charged and leaves the bay. we developed a motion tracking

system taw four cameras on the ceiling here which detects people when they approach the wall and presents information pop ups. so, you can enjoy it from a distance as a landscape, but once again up close there is another level of information that's educational about this facility. >> fire fly by artist ned con is an art installation which rises straight from the golden gate avenue sidewalk to the top of the building. >> the fire fly wall will be 5 by 5 polley carbon plates that will move with the wind and show a wave effect in the daytime. when those also swing back and forth and they hit the fulcrum, it will also set up an led light that will cover the fire fly. so, at nighttime people in another part of san francisco can see the side of our building and about 20 feet wide

and 10 stories high will be a wall that will flickr on and off like fire flies at nighttime. it will be so energy efficient that if all those lights go on, it will be the equivalent of a 40 watt bulb. and also the new piece of artwork going all the way down the side of the building, which looks like this incredible wind ripples on a pond. and i thought, oh, my god, how incredible, how wonderful. >> inside the building we will have water walls in the main staircase, and the water will be dripping through the side of the wall. you'll be able to hear it, you'll be able to see it. we call the san francisco artists and galleries and said, hey, we want a building that is a place people want to come to work in and to visit. we're now going to be buying art from between 08 and 100 local artists in san francisco and the arts commission will be hanging in that art the next couple of months in the building.

>> we'll have a cafe in the lobby. the cafe will be serving people there. they'll have a child care center on-site so people with children can come to work. if something happens to their child they can walk right downstairs. it has enough space for 65 kids. >> we looked at various ways that we could be creative in promoting alternative transportation. we did this by providing bike racks and showers in the building. we do see the number of parking spaces to two parking spaces and providing electrical charging stations for alternative vehicles. >> it's time for us to have a home that all of us can be proud of. >> and we couldn't do this without everybody working together on the one goal, which is, let's build something that reflects the honor of hetch

hetchy, the honor of the greatest engineering feats, reflects what our puc does for our public, and for generations to come it will educate everybody. >> i'm really proud that one of the greenest and most sustainable buildings is here in norm in district 6. the wind turbine, the solar power, the living machines, recycled water that ed and the mayor has already spoken to. and what's also amazing about this building is it's not just internally, but you can actually see it on the outside. so, when people are walking around the city they can actually see the green and environmental aspects. >> what better way to show that the puc cares about the environment and the puc is going to show everyone else, you can do this, too. and you can do it in a way that makes sense, that's affordable, and that is better for the environment. >> and this is the most energy efficient government building in the united states today, if not the world. and it is an example that the entire united states can look to and say, that's what we need

to do to save our city hundreds of millions of dollars in energy consumption a year and set an example to everybody of how to save energy, to be green, to be sustainable, to be responsible. the city is leading the way. >> it will be immediately recognizable and iconic from various parts of the city or even if you see a picture. that's the sfpuc building. it's a wonderful building. ♪ ♪ test, test,

test, test, test, test, test, test, test, test, test test >> welcome to the april 10th, 2013, the preceding office is chris fong and two commissioners. to my left a district attorney

city attorney and that's the controls of the boards legal assistant. we're joined this evening by he representatives from the departments that have matter before us. also representing the planning commission is the other people with the building inspectors and larry is here from the environmental health section of the department of public health. and let's conduct the swearing in process >> the board requests that you turn off all cell phones and pagers. the boards rules of appreciation department representatives each have 7 minute to present their

cases. people affiliated with those parties must conclude their comments won t within the 7 minute period. no rebuldz. to assist the public the public is asked not required to submit a speaker card. the board welcomes your comments and suggestions there are comme comments cards on the side of the table. the board of appeals office is located on mission street room 304. this meeting is broadcast live

on sf gov. tv. thank you for your attention at this point in time we'll conduct our swearing in process if i wish to have your testimony please stand and say i do. please note that any member the public my speak without taking this oath. >> today seldom swear that the testimony you're about to give will be the whole truth? thank you >> thank you so looking item number one is there any member

of the public to speak on a issue that is no one o not on the agenda? commissioners any comments? >> go ahead. >> i just want to note that i now will be absent from next week's meeting. >> i also will be absent from next week's meeting. >> i guess we'll be rescheduling a meeting. >> any other commissioner comments? any public comment on item number 2? move on to item 3 for the boards consideration are there any

adoption? is there any public comment on the minutes? call the role please and on that motion from the president to adopt the march 13, '13 minutes? (calling commissioners names) those minutes are adapted and a thank you. so we'll call item number had the subject property is at tree avenue. we received a letter agent appellant requesting a approve from the planning department. at this time the board voted on the basis that the permit was

properly issued and the project was to create first story stare at bedroom, bath at upper level. >> before you start i watched the tv version of it and prepared to listen to this request. >> thank you. >> you guys hear me well. we're here to say that we have property reporters of the object of this permit is to make an additional basement unit it's not to the upkeep of the

foundation. it's in the party wall. this building here is part can i show this? okay. so this is my little chart. the permit holder have two party walls so she had to take down the walls. she needed 3 permits. half of the foundation is on the different lots it's our property therefore with our permission of authorization it's not on our property.

here's the copy of the party wall agreement it clearly says that this agreement here wants the land so whoever gets the land it's this alternate. the parking wall is to benefit both party. we're not getting two foundation walls upgraded and any future buyer of our property is wondering why we you couldn't up grade the property. it's not cause us problems in the future even though the engineers say this will not negatively impact our believe therefore we're not going to

grant the permission for this work. please consider. >> please state your name for the record. janet son. >> we can hear from the permit holder. >> i'm the property owner of this tree. according to the rehearing procedure the appellants need to show different facts and circumstances have arisen. there's two reasons the reason that the d by you didn't have the authority to issue the permit and second the permit

issued is not in koorng with certain sections. based on our review all of this was covered in the prior hearing at length and the plans that were submitted are according to code and it's for both properties. >> i'm the project architect. just to recap since the last hearing that my client peggy did meet with the owners of the adjacent property and once again offered them a comprises that we would build a new foundation on the side of the property line. they choose not to accept that answer so it leaves us at a

little bit of an impasse. i mean just to reiterate what peggy said i don't think they present any new he reasoning. their brief details they do not understand the calculations that was done by a engineer. i don't think they've come forward with any evidence in any way to say their deficient or in any way their inadequate so we're not to accept the rehearing request >> any departmental requests? any public comment? and okay seeing none, the commissioners

matter is submitted. >> question for building department. >> commissioners. >> watching it on tv is a little bit different than looking at the packet and drawings attached but one of the issues that was raised was related to our pursues 3 they straddle two property lines. >> well, we do have those types of properties in san francisco where they share party walls. sometimes, it requires two permits but the party wall that they're doing i think they're putting plywood on that site.

this building should have been split. years ago when it was done they never physically split the building. it's very difficult project but in answer to your question the building permit they have is okay. if their not going underneath the foundation on the other side which is a different lot. it's difficult - at any time hard from stopping people from doing work on the property that they own but it's better to split the foundations and make them separate