Green buildings are nothing new in the Bay Area, but it takes a special kind of project to reach the prestigious level of LEED Platinum (the top tier of four LEED rating levels: certified, silver, gold and platinum). Raise a beer (or recycled rain water) to these uber eco-friendly buildings in the Bay Area.

(Photo courtesy of Kilroy Realty)

350 Mission Street (Salesforce East), San Francisco

Built by Kilroy Realty, a firm with a solid reputation for sustainability, this brand new building is home to Salesforce East. How did they achieve their Platinum LEED standing so soon after opening? The building has an innovative and unique structural design that eliminated the need for 1.2 million pounds of steel and 600 truckloads of concrete. Plus, it created a system that reuses storm water in the irrigation and restrooms, and strict air quality management. Wow.

(Photo courtesy of 400/450 Concar)

400/450 Concar, San Mateo

In 2012, 400/450 Concar was the first office building in San Mateo County to be LEED pre-certified, a distinguished honor. Considering the building includes a 100 percent outdoor air economizer, efficient floor plates, and electric vehicle charging stations, it's not hard to figure out why.

(Photo courtesy of sfgov.org)

San Francisco City Hall

San Francisco City Hall is the oldest building in the Bay Area to have received the prestigious Platinum LEED certification. In fact, the historical site is 90 percent more energy efficient than similar buildings across the nation! City Hall was retrofitted with adapted ventilation and heating systems; plus, its high efficiency toilets that are expected to save up to 825,000 gallons of drinking water a year.

(Photo courtesy of The W Hotel)

The W Hotel

In 2015, The W Hotel was named San Francisco's eco-friendliest hotel, and for good reason: The hotel uses renewable energy certificates and carbon offsets for 63 percent of its energy consumption, and more than half of the building's light fixtures are energy efficient. Even its cleaning equipment and cleaning practices meet the LEED sustainability criteria.