Environmental Services
Arlington County and Green Buildings
Introduction
For nearly 10 years, Arlington has focused on incorporating green features in its new public facilities. In the fall of 2008, this commitment was formalized in Arlington’s Policy for Integrated Facility Sustainability [link to policy]. The policy commits Arlington to build public facilities that reduce costs through energy and water efficiency, provide healthy work environments for staff and visitors, and contribute to the County’s goals of protecting, conserving, and enhancing the region’s environmental resources. Arlington uses the US Green Building Council’s LEED green building rating system as a guide to greening public facilities.
The policy states, in general, that Arlington will fund, design, and construct projects to achieve the LEED Silver certification. The policy applies to buildings owned by the County as well as space leased by the County. The appropriate LEED rating system will be applied on a case-by-case basis (LEED for New Construction, LEED for Commercial Interiors, LEED for Core and Shell, etc.). The policy does not apply to Arlington Public School projects.
Arlington County has completed several LEED certified projects as follows:
Langston Brown Community Center
LEED NC v2.1 Silver
The Langston-Brown School and Community Center was completed in 2003. This building is a 50,000-square foot, three-story school and community center. Extensive interior daylighting with sunshades to control heating from the hot summer sun are the project's signature feature. Two large tanks, or cisterns, will capture rainwater from the roof, which can be used for irrigation around the building. In designing the building, only paints, fabrics and adhesives that give off low levels of toxins were used.
Read a case study about the school (see page 3). The picture to the left is from the grand opening of the Langston Brown Center, which took place on September 10, 2003:
Park Operations Building
LEED NC v2.1 Silver
The Park Operations Building was completed in 2006. This building is approximately 18,000 square feet and serves as the base of operations for Parks staff. Green features of this building include daylighting, auto sensors, a green roof, and two cisterns to capture rainwater.
Washington-Lee High School
LEED NC v2.1 Certification Pending
The new Washington-Lee High School has a four-story academic wing along with a large gym, ten lane swimming pool, 800 seat theater, and two new rectangular athletic fields (in addition to the current stadium). The facility is expected to qualify for LEED Silver certification (the LEED program strives to minimize the environmental impact and improve the energy efficiency and performance of the building). Some of the green components of the building include:
• Bicycle storage units for 5% of building occupants.
• A vegetated or "green" roof will reduce storm water run-off while reflective, white roof elements will reduce energy costs.
• Bathroom and kitchen fixtures will reduce water consumption by 40%.
• Mechanical equipment and insulation materials selected to reduce energy needs by 20 - 30%.
• Use of recycled materials in construction where feasible.
Walter Reed Community Center
LEED NC v2.1 Silver
The Walter Reed Community Center opened in May, 2006, and is a 30,000-square foot one-story facility in a South Arlington neighborhood. The building features an 18,000 square-foot vegetated roof constructed with three inches of soil covered by succulent plants. The new building will include a vegetated roof constructed with three inches of soil covered by succulent plants. This "green roof" acts as an insulator for the building, and also absorbs storm water runoff that could otherwise erode and pollute local streams. The green roof can extend the life of the roofing material as well, by reducing stress on the roof from daily temperature variations. In addition, bioretention gardens on the site allow storm water to recharge the natural aquifer, rather than flowing off the site into the storm water system. Extensive day-lighting, use of renewable and recycled building materials such as wheatboard, cork, bamboo flooring, and recycled carpet add to the building's green features. Motion sensor lights save energy and the men's bathrooms include waterless urinals, which conserve water.
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Walter Reed Community Center Green roof in May, 2008 | The gym at the Walter Reed Community Center uses renewable bamboo for the gym floor and daylight for lighting the space. |
For an up-to-date listing of LEED certified and registered projects in Arlington see http://www.usgbc.org/LEED/Project/CertifiedProjectList.aspx.
Parks & Recreation Cultural Resource Cen | Arlington County | Arlington | VA | US | Silver |
The Navy League Building | Navy League LLC | Arlington | VA | US | |
Pentagon Metro Entrance Facility | Pentagon Renovation Office | Arlington | VA | US | |
Walter Reed Community Center | Arlington County | Arlington | VA | US | |
Arlington Public Schools, Arlington Coun | Arlington | VA | US | ||
Pentagon Athletic Center | Pentagon Renovation Program | Arlington | VA | US | |
Remote Delivery Facility |
| Arlington | VA | US | |
Crescent Resources, LLC | Arlington | VA | US | ||
Regent 950 Glebe Road Office Building | JBG/ATA North Glebe LLC | Arlington | VA | US | Silver |
Crescent Resources, LLC | Arlington | VA | US | ||
NRECA II | NRECA | Arlington | VA | US | |
Conservation International | Conservation International | Arlington | VA | US | Silver |
Sigal Construction Corporate Offices | Sigal Construction | Arlington | VA | US | |
One Potomac Yard | JPMorgan | Arlington | VA | US | Gold |
Sebesta Blomberg DC Office | Sebesta Blomberg | Arlington County | VA | US | Gold |
- List updated on 4/29/09
