Microsoft is expanding in Silicon Valley, too, with its smartest, greenest campus

Last week, Microsoft announced a significant expansion of its Redmond campus, which has been the company’s official headquarters since 1986. The “Redmond giant,” like we often call it is also planning to modernize its other workplaces around the world, including its Silicon Valley Campus that currently welcomes more than 2,000 employees.

The company has just started a 643,000-square-foot modernization of its 32-acre Mountain View location, a project that will become the company’s smartest and greenest campus once it’s completed. In addition to an integrated water management system and the use of solar panels, Kevin Scott, Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft shared that the new campus will deliver “the best employee experience in the industry.” He continued:

The modern workspaces throughout the campus will promote collaboration and productivity, providing areas that help generate creativity and allow for focused concentration. The neighborhood and courtyard concept makes it easy for our employees to move from outdoor to indoor spaces. Employees will have access to natural light through a glass exterior from anywhere on campus. The renovated dining facilities will provide healthy meal options as part of our commitment to the WELL Building standard. The campus will also feature athletic fields and a new onsite fitness facility for our employees. Finally, the new conference center, theater and Microsoft Technology Center will create space for us to demonstrate how our technology and services are empowering everyone on the planet to achieve more.

Microsoft arrived in the Silicon Valley more than 36 years ago, and this new eco-friendly campus shows that the company is definitely here to stay. “We estimate it will take two years to complete and be ready for occupancy in December 2019,” explained Scott. To compare, the massive refresh project at Microsoft’s Redmond campus will kick off next fall and should take up to seven years to be completed.