Epi Center MedSpa of San Francisco Obtains LEED Certification

Epi Center MedSpa’s Acclaimed Renovation and Design Earns Silver LEED® Certification in One of the City’s Oldest and Most Historic Commercial Buildings

San Francisco’s Epi Center MedSpa is the nation’s first eco medspa, bringing nature and science together for a more naturally beautiful you – and more beautiful planet. The center recently earned Silver Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED®) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, an impressive achievement for a company that operates in one of the city’s oldest commercial buildings.

“We’ve inherited an old space and while elegant and historic, it came with a set of challenges,” says Margaret Mitchell, president and founder of Epi Center MedSpa. “We chose to green our office, furthering ourselves as responsible business owners and forward thinkers in the spa and medical industry.”

The center had to overcome many challenges to achieve its Silver LEED® status, says Eric Corey Freed, architect and author of Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies. “As a tenant of a historic building, the center could not alter the building itself, such as installing solar panels or redesigning windows to increase natural lighting. They had to come up with innovative solutions on their own.”

“Not only is our med spa sustainably built in deference to the harmony we all need to feel toward one another and the planet, the experience of a patient within the MedSpa is one of personalized service, evaluation, and treatment plans to address the goals and skin or beauty issues of each of our clients.” Scott W. Mosser, MD Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.

LEED® certification is achieved by earning points from the Green Building Rating System™. Epi Center MedSpa earned its Silver rating in a number of ways:

• Exemplary Performance Points were received for offsetting 100 percent of its energy use with green power and for using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood throughout the space.


• Innovation in Design Points were earned for transitioning to an electronic health record and banning paper cups, for discontinuing use of bottled water and for installing ceiling panels made from 100 percent recycled newspaper.


• Further points were awarded based on efficiency of lighting, heating and air conditioning systems (HVAC), and reducing water usage to below the standard.

“As our project began, it became clear that achieving a green design would take a team effort. It was amazing to watch the various roles we played. We did everything from designing the layout and floor plan to reconfiguring how we would handle our day-to-day business practices,” says Jennifer Fick, RN, BSN, clinical director.

Other factors that helped the MedSpa earn certification include:

• 81 percent of post-construction waste was diverted from landfills.


• 46 percent of all project furniture and furnishings were salvaged, refurbished or reused.


• 98 percent of all wood used was harvested from FSC certified forests.


• Products with low to no Volatile Organic Compounds and formaldehyde free building materials were used throughout.


• Indoor air quality management plan was in place throughout construction. In fact, the air inside the center was cleaner during construction than the air outside the building.

Source: http://www.skinrejuv.com/