The building, constructed in two years, was built with an emphasis on employee comfort and energy efficiency. A 160-kilowatt (kW) DC Mitsubishi Electric panel solar power system was collaborated under the SDG&E Sustainable Communities Program and was installed by California-based solar integration company, HelioPower. The solar power system was installed on the employee parking structure, utilizing an innovative and attractive design which averted the need for space allocation for a large central inverter.

The Sony Electronics building will house 1,400 of the company's 2,000 area employees. It was designed to exemplify the best in energy conservation technologies. Energy saving strategies include the solar power system on the parking structure, energy-efficient air conditioning and heating and the use of recycled materials in the carpeting and furniture. Drought-resistant landscaping was also used and all the construction debris was recycled. The building's design and construction process incorporated many environmental features according to the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification requirements.

"Sony is committed to reducing our impact on the environment," said Greg Aveni, facilities director for Sony Electronics. "We are doing this by implementing methods to reduce energy-use, such as installing solar panels for our new San Diego building and waste from our day-to-day operations, while at the same time finding ways to develop more energy-efficient products."

The Sony Electronics project is one of many San Diego-based energy-efficient projects on which SDG&E has collaborated. The utility supports energy- efficient and sustainable programs for commercial construction, and provides cash incentives and technical assistance to builders wanting to build energy-efficient buildings.