Project Profile: U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Headquarters
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is the global leader in green building; dedicated to transforming buildings and communities to advance human and environmental wellbeing.
Engineering firm: GHT Limited
2024 MEP Giants rank: 97
Project: U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Headquarters
Location: Washington, DC, United States
Building type: Office building
Project type: Existing building retrofit
Engineering services: Electrical, power; HVAC, mechanical; plumbing, piping
Project timeline: September 2020 to September 2023
MEP/FP engineering budget: $79,835
Challenges
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is the global leader in green building; dedicated to transforming buildings and communities to advance human and environmental wellbeing. To align with the organization’s mission, vision, and values, sustainability was the top priority in the renovation of its Washington, DC headquarters.
Courtesy: Halkin Mason Photography
The aggressive sustainability goals identified in the project planning included Triple Platinum Certification in LEED, WELL, and TRUE. While this was a challenging goal to set, the project exceeded expectations. Achievement of the Triple Platinum Certification was a collective effort, requiring an extensive understanding of project goals, coordinated systems integration, and constant collaboration between design team members.
Courtesy: Halkin Mason Photography
Solutions
GHT provided MEP engineering design services, focusing on the implementation of sustainability measures to support the achievement of Triple Platinum Certification in LEED, WELL, and TRUE. From the design aesthetic to occupant comfort, everything at USGBC’s headquarters is connected, made possible by the early involvement of design team members and seamless coordination throughout the project.
Courtesy: Halkin Mason Photography
For sustainability measures, the building now has a system of metering every item in the space for an accurate depiction of energy use, as well as controls and sensors to monitor air quality and volume. Indoor air quality (IAQ) sensors throughout the space display the air quality for occupants, and a setback control for variable air volume units aligns with the number of occupants to allow for increased energy efficiency. Renewable energy systems, enhanced refrigerant management, and the use of low emitting materials are several of the sustainable strategies that culminated in the achievement of LEED Platinum.
Courtesy: Halkin Mason Photography
To attain WELL Platinum, the space prioritized occupant wellness by incorporating water quality evaluations, IAQ monitors every 3,5000 sq ft and mandating annual IAQ testing to monitor carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and more.
Finally, TRUE Platinum was achieved by prioritizing waste reduction through recycling and composting, resulting in the reuse of 80% of the existing furniture and the reduction of both operational and embodied carbon.
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