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Enviva's Green Story: How OTJ Designed a Company's Headquarters to Reflect Its Commitment to Sustainability

MAR29

Written by: otjblogger 
3/29/2011 3:13 PM  

As one of the world’s leading biomass energy companies, Enviva sustainably sources energy-rich wood residues and transforms them into renewable fuels like Wood Chips, Mini Chips, Micro Chips, and Wood Pellets for industrial and utility-scale energy applications. Since Enviva biomass is carbon-neutral, customers who use their renewable fuels significantly reduce their carbon footprint and achieve independence from the price volatility of fossil fuels. Enviva’s motto expresses their dedication: “We help our clients build a sustainable future.”



Since Enviva’s mission and business practices as a company are directly tied to the well-being of the environment, the goals for their new office space were no less dedicated. One of the primary goals in moving their headquarters to Downtown Bethesda was to reduce carbon emissions by locating their offices in a dense urban environment with access to major public transportation and walk-able amenities. Furthermore, more than 60% of their staff was living in the greater Washington, DC area and commuting to their previous offices in Richmond, VA. This new location for Enviva would house closed and open offices, conference rooms, pantries, and open work areas – all with direct visibility to the exterior environment and natural light.




7200 Wisconsin Avenue is a twelve story, Class A office building constructed in 1986 and has a total gross square footage of 269,014 square feet. In addition to the existing parking garage, the building provides an area for bicycle storage, showers in the penthouse for tenant use, and a large recycling collection center. The building also features terraced setbacks and curved window walls on all sides with spectacular views. The landscaped urban plaza has a sculpture pavilion, clock tower, trellised walkways, terraced waterfalls, sculptured seating and flower gardens. The Lobby is surfaced in rose granite, mahogany and bronze and has vaulted ceilings. The building has state-of-the-art 24-hour computerized energy management and monitoring system.



Several of the primary elements for meeting LEED points were incorporated into this unique design. For example, all of the carpeting, flooring, laminate surfaces and ceiling tiles were made with recycled content. The drywall was made in part with paperless lining, and specialty materials included 100% Reclaimed wood floors salvaged from an old barn in North Carolina and a PaperStone countertop made of layers of recycled paper. There were many unseen materials with high recycled content as well - including ceiling tiles, metal studs, insulation and drywall. All paints used for the project contained little or no volatile organic compounds (VOC), and the flooring in all workrooms and pantries was made with recycled/recyclable materials with eco-responsible pigments (instead of petroleum based products). Rubber base was substituted for standard vinyl throughout the project as well.



Energy efficiency and waste reduction were two major components of the LEED design strategy as well. The latter included mini-recycling stations being placed at all pantries and near workstations for ease of use. Each recycling station would separate the paper, plastics and regular debris. They also achieved 85% recycled construction waste with off-site separation. Meanwhile, electrical engineers provided motion sensors in all offices and open spaces to activate lights only when needed. Most light fixtures throughout the space are direct/indirect fluorescent fixtures with extremely high efficiency. The HVAC systems save energy through reduced cooling loads while providing fresh air. The faucets were fitted with low-flow aerators at 1.5 gpm and all new eligible appliances were “Energy Star” compliant. To top it all off, Enviva voluntarily purchased 100% green power offset.



All of these elements in Enviva’s new space will create a positive and pleasing environment for the staff as well as the people who maintain the facility. The entire LEED initiative and sustainability goals reflected the same ideology of Enviva’s mission statement - building a sustainable future.

OPX Awarded MC Dean Contract
3/21/2011
OPX was awarded a contract with MC Dean, a large engineering firm headquartered in Northern Virginia, to provide macro concept development, detailed programming and site selection support services for a pending consolidation.

Washington Post: DC'S GREENEST BUILDINGS

D.C. among ‘greenest’ for buildings

Michael S. Williamson/ THE WASHINGTON POST - At the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Annapolis headquarters, special sensors turn off the lights closest to the natural light but lights remain on in the rest of the building.

The District leads the Washington region in “green” buildings, according to an assessment that examines environmentally friendly building practices.


 The report, compiled by the group’s planners and presented Wednesday to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, offers the first comprehensive look at how the push to build greener buildings is playing out in communities.

Between 2003 and 2009, the Washington region added about 23 million square feet of LEED-certified green building space through new construction and conversion of existing space. The District led the way, with 72 projects that earned LEED certification, followed by Northern Virginia with 59 projects and Maryland with 40. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification rates buildings based on how well they meet certain green standards for construction and operation.

“We have focused on making the region a national leader in green building,” said Andrea Harrison, chairwoman of the COG board. Several members of the board said they hoped that future reports on green building trends in the region would include recommendations on how to promote projects.

Washington area communities were among the first in the United States to embrace green building principles. Frederick County and Gaithersburg have green building codes on the books, the report says. In 2006, the District passed the Green Building Act, which phased in rules that require buildings to pollute less. That year, Montgomery County officials passed a similar measure requiring certain buildings to include environmentally friendly, energy-saving features such as low-flow toilets.

The District is also considered a national model forgreen construction, said Roger Platt, senior vice president for global policy and law at the U.S. Green Building Council, which administers the LEED certification program.

According to a council report released last month, the District ranked first in the country in green buildings per capita, with about 25 square feet of LEED-certified space per person in 2010. Nevada — in part because of the density of so many of its building projects — was second, with 10.92 square feet.

Platt said the District ranks high in part because its leaders have embraced green building and because the city and its developers have benefited from a relatively healthy economy and stable workforce in need of office space. In addition, the Obama, Bush and Clinton administrations made commitments to making buildings more environmentally friendly.

“D.C. is a poster child for how, in the last couple of years, high-performance green buildings have continued to be built,” Platt said. It’s “a more sophisticated market, where tenants and investors find [green buildings] appealing.”