Amazon has completed construction of the first two buildings of its second headquarters, located in Arlington, Va. The all-electric structures, featuring low carbon concrete and mass timber, help further the company’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040 and 100% renewable energy consumption by 2030.
Designed by ZGF Architects, the two 22-story buildings—comprising 2.1 million sf of space and 50,000 sf of retail space—are on track to become the largest LEED v4 Platinum buildings in the U.S., according to a statement from ZGF.
By using low-carbon concrete mixes and CarbonCure technology, the project achieved a 20% reduction in the concrete structures’ carbon footprint, compared to the industry baseline. ZGF incentivized trades to experiment with mixes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The firm’s open-source LCA calculator enabled construction partners to assess proposed concrete mixes and measure their impact.
The buildings capture and reuse rainwater, shower water, and HVAC condensation—helping to achieve 50% water savings below building code and recycle 7.5 million gallons a year. And more than four-fifths of all construction waste materials—including concrete, drywall, metals, wood, cardboard, and plastic—were diverted from landfills. This prevented over 17,000 tons of material from entering landfills.
Amazon funded the renovation and expansion of the adjacent Met Park—turning an underused green area into a public park. In addition to the central green, the 2.5-acre park features a children’s playground with a jungle gym, small and large dog parks, and a community garden. Art pieces have been placed along the park’s forest walk.
The buildings feature 19 rooftop terraces, eight of which can be occupied. On a farm terrace, Amazon employees can volunteer to grow herbs and vegetables that will be donated to community organizations. The two towers also have more than 3,000 operable windows.
On the Building Team:
Owner: Amazon
Developer: JBG Smith
Design architect and architect of record: ZGF Architects
MEP engineer: GHT Limited Consulting
Structural engineer: Thornton Tomasetti
Construction: Clark Construction
Related Stories
| Oct 12, 2010
Building 13 Naval Station, Great Lakes, Ill.
27th Annual Reconstruction Awards—Gold Award. Designed by Chicago architect Jarvis Hunt and constructed in 1903, Building 13 is one of 39 structures within the Great Lakes Historic District at Naval Station Great Lakes, Ill.
| Oct 12, 2010
From ‘Plain Box’ to Community Asset
The Mid-Ohio Foodbank helps provide 55,000 meals a day to the hungry. Who would guess that it was once a nondescript mattress factory?
| Oct 11, 2010
HGA wins 25-Year Award from AIA Minnesota
HGA Architects and Engineers won a 25-Year Award from AIA Minnesota for the Willow Lake Laboratory.
| Oct 8, 2010
Union Bank’S San Diego HQ awarded LEED Gold
Union Bank’s San Diego headquarters building located at 530 B Street has been awarded LEED Gold certification from the Green Building Certification Institute under the standards established by the U.S. Green Building Council. Gold status was awarded to six buildings across the United States in the most recent certification and Union Bank’s San Diego headquarters building is one of only two in California.
| Oct 6, 2010
Windows Keep Green Goals in View
The DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory has almost 600 window openings, and yet it's targeting LEED Platinum, net-zero energy use, and 50% improvement over ASHRAE 90.1. How the window ‘problem’ is part of the solution.
| Sep 21, 2010
New BOMA-Kingsley Report Shows Compression in Utilities and Total Operating Expenses
A new report from the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International and Kingsley Associates shows that property professionals are trimming building operating expenses to stay competitive in today’s challenging marketplace. The report, which analyzes data from BOMA International’s 2010 Experience Exchange Report® (EER), revealed a $0.09 (1.1 percent) decrease in total operating expenses for U.S. private-sector buildings during 2009.
| Sep 13, 2010
Triple-LEED for Engineering Firm's HQ
With more than 250 LEED projects in the works, Enermodal Engineering is Canada's most prolific green building consulting firm. In 2007, with the firm outgrowing its home office in Kitchener, Ont., the decision was made go all out with a new green building. The goal: triple Platinum for New Construction, Commercial Interiors, and Existing Buildings: O&M.