August 7, 2009—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced the Platinum certification of its new Washington, D.C. headquarters, making it the first project to certify under the latest version of the LEED green building rating system. This occasion also marks the official opening of the USGBC’s new headquarters, which is located in the Foggy Bottom district of Northwest Washington, D.C.
The Council, which moved into its new office in March 2009, outgrew its previous space as a result of the explosive growth it experienced over the last few years. According to USGBC, more than 35,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED system, comprising more than 5.6 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 91 countries.
The 75,000-square foot-office, divided between two floors, is connected by an open staircase in the bright lobby, behind which is one of the space’s most prominent design features: a two-story tall water feature, which helps bring the outdoors inside the space. The elevator lobby, reception, and conference breakout areas are clad in 500-year-old gumwood that was salvaged from the bottom of the Tennessee River.
Aggressive water and energy reduction goals were set to reduce water use by 40 percent and energy use to be less than half that of a typical office. A dashboard system was implemented to provide real-time feedback on energy use. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows provide abundant daylighting to any workstation in the office, while the electronic window shade system maximizes natural light while minimizing glare.
Architecture firm Envision Design was selected for the project because of its extensive LEED project portfolio. GHT Limited Consulting Engineers and James G. Davis Construction Corporation were chosen as the engineering and construction firms. All members of the design, engineering, and construction teams are LEED-Accredited Professionals.
