World’s first TRUE-certified building project completed in California

GENESIS Marina, an expansive laboratory and office campus in Brisbane, Calif., is the world’s first Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE)-certified construction endeavor. The recently completed project consisted of three buildings totaling about 560,000 sf.  

The certification recognizes projects that achieve outstanding levels of resource efficiency through waste reduction, reuse, and recycling practices. The project diverted 98.4% of construction waste from landfills, an achievement that includes preventing waste from being sent to waste-to-energy facilities. 

TRUE certification is administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), part of the US Green Building Council (USGBC) family. Construction manager Webcor partnered with All About Waste, a zero waste and circular economy consultant, to achieve the certification.

The certification process involved a comprehensive evaluation of waste reduction practices including reduced packaging, the use of recycled products, and innovative end-of-life solutions for materials. Webcor’s approach emphasized collaboration across all levels of the project team and with subcontractors and partners to achieve the project’s waste reduction goals.

"TRUE emphasizes waste reduction before any waste is created on the jobsite,” says Webcor Sustainability Director Sarah Rege. “This significantly reduces the volume of waste and emissions from transportation, benefiting local air quality and supporting local businesses.”

GENESIS Marina was awarded TRUE Gold in February 2024.

“We are proud to see Webcor’s forward-thinking efforts at GENESIS Marina and for initiating a broader conversation about the feasibility and benefits of zero waste and sustainability in construction,” said Joe Marconi, a Partner at Bain Capital Real Estate. “We are committed to continuing these impactful practices and positively contributing to the built environment in the years to come.”

Owner and/or developer: Phase 3 Real Estate
Architect: Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill (SOM)
MEP engineer: Meyers+ Engineers
Structural engineer: Paradigm Structural Engineers
General contractor/construction manager: Webcor