Arup selected as prime engineering consultant for the SFPUC Millbrae Campus Improvements project

As part of a collaborative project team led by SFPW’s Bureau of Architecture, Arup will work closely with SFPW’s architects, landscape architects, and engineers to lead the engineering on the new buildings and provide site-wide specialty engineering design, overseeing a suite of over 20 multidisciplinary engineering and consulting services ranging from structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering to acoustic, energy, resilience, lighting, and sustainability consulting.  

Arup is working with five subconsultants to deliver the work, which include HRA Engineering & Energy Services, Vibro-Acoustics, Clearstory, Banks Landl, and AR Green. The project also involves the retrofitting and renovation of several existing facilities on SFPUC’s campus, as well as the construction of two new buildings, an administrative office and water quality laboratory, and a wellness pavilion.  

The entire project has ambitious sustainability and resilience goals, including multiple electrical resilience measures for grid-downtime, a 100% electric vehicle fleet, use of mass timber in the new lab design, and a goal to achieve LEED Gold certification. As part of the site resilience work, Arup will work closely with SFPUC to implement a microgrid as well as advise on approaches to improve the building’s seismic resilience and implement strategies for wildfire smoke and extreme heat. SFPUC’s enhanced resilience measures are essential to meet their organizational mission as emergency responders.  

Alex Lofting, Principal at Arup, said, “Building on our longstanding partnership with SFPUC, the Millbrae Campus Improvements project allows us to continue our close collaboration, while also helping to bring their critical operational resilience and sustainability goals to life.” 

Paul De Freitas, Architect at San Francisco Public Works, said, “As we assembled the project team for this complex, multi-phase campus project, Arup stood out for their innovative approaches and ability to integrate into a collaborative, high functioning project team that will enable us to design and deliver the project successfully.” 

The project will be executed in three construction and design phases, allowing for renovations and new building to occur while maintaining most existing functionality on-site. The project is currently in schematic design and construction, with the final phase expected to be completed in 2031.