2007 Closing the Circle Award Winner, Sustainable Design

EPA’s new office buildings, One and Two Potomac Yard in Alexandria, VA, achieved a LEED-Gold certification. The two 12 story buildings are comprised of mostly office and retail space totaling 654,000 square feet.

• Siting:Located on a formerly abandoned railroad yard, the site’s location facilitates environmentally responsible commuting due in part to its unique proximity to Metrorail trains and busses. Besides stressing the use of public transportation, the facility has been equipped with showers and onsite parking for 53 cyclists.

• Energy Efficiency: EPA signed a green power contract to purchase renewable energy certificates from wind-generated power. The contract will supply 4.2 million kWh and will offset 100 percent of the facilities' annual electricity consumption.  The buildings are equipped with energy saving appliances such as task lamps and ENERGY STAR® labeled refrigerators and microwaves to contribute to the facilities' efficiency. The roofing materials used on the buildings are highly reflective, Energy Star® materials.  The walkway joining the buildings has a vegetative roof planted with sedum in 4-inch depth trays, which will help to filter pollution and reduce sun heat loads.

• Water Efficiency: The restrooms have low-flow faucets with electronic shutoff, low-flush urinals, and dual flush toilets. Workers planted drought-resistant local plants so that no permanent irrigation system is required. The implementation of these technologies has equated to a 41 percent reduction in water use.

• Indoor Air Quality: To ensure the health of the buildings' inhabitants, the buildings contain low-volatile organic compound (VOC) adhesives, paints, sealants, and chalks.

• Materials: In addition to specifying recycled content and environmentally preferable materials, EPA specified that materials come from a specified geographic distance.  More than 60 percent of the materials used to build the facility were extracted and manufactured within a 500-mile radius, thus supporting the local economy and reducing energy costs associated with materials fabrication and transport. Additionally, more than 80 percent of the facility’s wood-based materials and products were certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.  More than 70 percent of the construction waste was recycled, diverting 2,000 tons of wood and metal wastes from landfills.

• Construction and Demolition Recycling: During construction, more than 70 percent of the waste was recycled which amounted to more than 2,000 tons of wood and metal being diverted from landfills. 

• Other Sustainable Practices:A pollution filtering system was installed to intercept storm water runoff on the side of the facility that faced the Potomac River.  The sand filters are expected to reduce total suspended solids by 80 percent and phosphorus by 40 percent.  The housekeeping service utilizes green cleaning products which protect the health of the inhabitants of the building. 

For further detailed information, please contact Cathy Berlow at berlow.cathy@epa.gov or (202) 564-3739.