2018 PROJECT Award Winners
In 2018, the awards listed below were available for application by the USGBC-NCR community. Projects were required to be located in the USGBC-NCR region, and where certification was required, projects were to have been awarded certification between June 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018.
Awards were not given in all categories. This is done when there were no submissions, or were not submissions which met, in the judging panel’s opinion, the standard of excellence and innovation that the Leadership Awards are intended to recognize.
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NEW CONSTRUCTION | 3 AWARDS
WINNER - Alexandria Renew Enterprises Environmental Center
Select Notable Application Excerpts
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"Constructed on a former landfill, required a methane venting system to prevent the buildup of methane below the structure.""Energy modeling (eQuest) and daylight modeling (Ecotect and Radiance) informed early design decisions and optimized the benefits of energy conservation measures."
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"A public-private partnership was formed to create a multi-purpose athletic field over the nutrient management facility. ...New $180M, 18M gallon nutrient management tanks under the athletic field equalize flow of nitrates to the wastewater facility for more effective treatment. Some treated liquid effluent from the water treatment plant is reclaimed and subjected to UV filtration for use in the Environmental Center for toilet flushing, irrigation, cooling tower makeup, and fountains...The net impact of water-savings features resulted in an overall project potable water use reduction of over 97 percent, a volume equivalent to filling two Olympic-size swimming pools each year."
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"Extensive 3D coordination of MEP utilities into a condensed area of 9’-0” ceilings to allow for daylight enhancing perimeter 10’-7” ceilings within 12’-6” floors....Office flexibility maximized by installing a 4” raised access floor for power/data. Utilized demountable walls for enclosed offices to minimize waste in future modifications."
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"South facing windows were limited in area and shaded using photovoltaic panels or permanent louvered shades.
Penthouse south, east, and west façades were clad in photovoltaic panels, while smaller eastern and western facades were provided vertical shading devices. Smaller windows without shading devices are either directly shaded by a building overhang or utilize electrochromatic glass to limit solar loads. Aigh performance curtain wall on north façade provides daylight and views..The improved building envelope reduced the chilled water plant capacity by approximately 35 tons." -
"Projected to reduce CO2 emissions by 55 metric tons, and reduce energy cost 46.1 percent relative to the ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 baseline, a savings equal to the annual energy consumption of thirty-five typical Virginia homes."
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"Biophilic design elements such as a wetland exhibit and 6,900 gallon aquarium which re-creates the Chesapeake Bay environment, as well as a fountain and living wall allow visitors to connect with the impact of the water treatment process...A fountain utilizing reclaimed water cascades over the vestibule and down onto a water table for calm reflection. The lobby contains a 2-story biofilter living wall integrated into the building ventilation system that delivers oxygen to public spaces on the first two floors."
Project Team
Rust Orling Architecture – Architect
Vanderweil Engineers – MEP/F Engineer and Sustainability Consultant
Jacobs – Construction Manager
Clark Construction – General Contractor
SK&A – Structural Engineer
MCLA – Lighting Designer
Christopher Consultants – Civil Engineer
LandDesign – Landscape Architect
Nedlaw/GreenLaw Source - Living Wall
Size
458,118 GSF
Certification
LEED v3 BD+C Platinum (88 Points)
FTE
70
Daily Visitors
20
Additional Images and Juror Comments

WINNER - Bridges + Briya Public Charter Schools Mamie D. Lee Campus
Select Notable Application Excerpts
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"Bridges and Briya Public Charter Schools were awarded the Mamie D. Lee Campus, an underutilized Washington DC Public School building and grounds for redevelopment...Bridges Public Charter School started with a Head of School who was tired of schools where children with high level special needs were completely separated from children that had no level of special needs. She envisioned a school where everyone felt like equals, and now Bridges specializes in providing all-inclusive learning programs and environments for “special-needs” children....Briya started in the 1980s in response to the influx of immigrants creating a place to learn English, and build, higher-level skills so that they could be better employed. This program evolved into the Briya Public Charter School which is a school that specializes in adult education along with infant and toddler care."
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"Mary’s Center is a federally qualified health center that provides health care, family literacy and social services to individuals whose needs too often go unmet by the private systems. Mary’s Center Community Health Center provides counseling and medical service to their families as well as the surrounding community."
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"Collectively, their vision is to create a site with wraparound services for children and families with a focus of those with special needs. Their campus partnering realizes this vision of providing a full spectrum of education programming from infant and toddler to adults."
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"“Interlacing” of the two schools, and the supplemental lease space provides for possible expansion and contraction of the programs. The programs thread together lacing laterally within the floor plates, such that as one program may need more, or swing spaces, the classrooms could be shared or time staggered if they must."
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"The school has multiple access points via public transportation, and the new “U” shaped layout has responded to these access points with the use of bridges, stairs, ramps, pathways, and landscaping. Any user group – whether walking or on a wheel chair – can access the site and the school at its North, East, South, and West entryways..."
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"The smooth and continuous surfaced green roof was important to the design team, yet to achieve the buildings fresh air requirements, intakes with heat recovery units were to be placed on the roof. During the early design process, the engineering and architectural team worked in close tandem to establish sizes, clearances, structural loads to balance design intent with functional needs. A recessed mechanical penthouse was carved into the roof, and vine laden cables were devised as a means of creating a continuous flow of green surface, while also providing appropriate ventilation openings for the mechanical systems."
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"As a learning tool, the two charter schools are collaborating to have their student’s aid in the planting and maintenance of the landscape. A school education garden is currently under construction to provide supplemental student expense with farm to table food production."​
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"At project kick-off, a team comprising Bridges and Briya school leaders, financier, project manager, architects, and the general contractor participated in the Learning Environments For Tomorrow (LEFT) Institute. LEFT is four-day, invitation-only event for K-12 school construction project teams sponsored by the Harvard University Graduate School of Education and Graduate School of Design. "
Project Team
Studio Twenty Seven Architecture – Architect
Brailsford & Dunlavey – Program Manager
Christopher Consultants – Civil Engineer
Robert Silman Associates – Structural Engineer
Setty & Associates – MEP Engineer
Jordan Phemister – Landscape Architect
Acoustical Design Collaborative – Acoustical Consultant
Genesys Impact – IT/AV/Security
MCN Construction, Inc. – General Contractor
Size
100,697 GSF
Certification
LEED v3 BD+C Gold (60 Points)
FTE
182
Daily Visitors
260

Additional Images and Juror Comments
WINNER - Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School
Honorable Mention - Kenilworth Recreation Center
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"The 1930’s one-story north wing and the first floor of the 1957 three-story east wing expansion was renovated to be the recreation center, with an addition of a new gymnasium. A new outdoor pool and seasonal pool house connected to the main building with a pergola covered walkway completes this state-of-theart recreation center and aquatics complex. Major programmatic elements include the new competition-sized gymnasium addition, a lobby and lounge area with 180 degree views for security, a large multi-purpose space, a fitness area, a boxing area, senior and teen activity areas, a demonstration kitchen, a computer lab, and accessibility upgrades."
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"The design team met with the community and several stakeholders such as DPR, DCPNI, DGS, ANC, and DCHA to develop programming through interviews, visual preference surveys, and graphical diagrams. Following the final determination of the program, a design charette was hosted at the elementary school to discuss functional adjacencies and room sizes for varying age groups and interests. These interactive exercises facilitated the establishment of three different concepts for form and function. The final design reflects the unanimously approved option."
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"87% of the existing building fabric was re-used. This approach although sustainable posed a few design and construction challenges for successfully detailing all required complex expansion joint connections, structural tie-backs between the old and the new structure."
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"Due to the mutli-functional nature of the various spaces, occupancy rates vary significantly throughout the day and season of the year...The ventilation solution included separate systems for these various needs with demand-control that reduced or eliminated ventilation air to unoccupied spaces, saving the energy of continuously treating outdoor air as it is brought into the building. Heating and cooling systems utilize variable refrigerant flow equipment combined with a dedicated outdoor air system along with energy recovery ventilation. The system is set up to transfer heat from spaces that need to be cooled to spaces that need to be heated....Thermostats, CO2 sensors, and override lighting controls provide additional controllability for the occupants."
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"Design decisions for site water conservancy and storm water management integrated a green roof, several bioretention areas, pervious paving, and native plants with no irrigation system. The combination of these techniques allowed for 100% of annual design rainwater to be captured on site."
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"Abundant daylight within over 90% of all spaces complements amazing artwork by local artists throughout the interior and exterior of the recreation center."
Project Team
DC Department of General Services;
DC Department of Parks and Recreation - Client
BELL Architects, PC - Design Project Manager / Architect
Silman Associates;
Brandes & Cassagnol Engineers - Structural Engineers
Setty & Associates Ltd - MEP Engineers
Wiles Mensch Corporation - Civil Engineers and Survey
Coakley & Williams Construction, Inc - Contractor
Kramer Consulting - Project Manager
ECS Capitol Services, PLLC - Environmental Consulting and Geotechnical Engineering
AECOM - Landscape Architect
WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff - Building Enclosure
Counsilman-Hunsaker & Associates - Pool Consultant
A2 Services, Inc - Commissioning
GreenShape, LLC - LEED Consulting
Size
Certification
75,536 GSF
LEED v3 BD+C Gold (69 Points)
FTE
8
Daily Visitors
226
Select Notable Application Excerpts
“The impact of the new recreation center on the surrounding neighborhood is nearly indescribable. From the minute
a new visitor enters the door, it is apparent how in awe they are by the structural design… As they walk through
the hallway and notice each room… the positive commentary is never ending. It’s a constant stream of gushing
hopefulness and excitement. It even makes me a little emotional!”
-- Kentasha Dickson, DPR Staff Member
Additional Images and Juror Comments

INTERIORS | 1 AWARD
WINNER - The Summit Foundation
Notable Application Excerpts
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"The Summit Foundation is a private family foundation focused on grant-making in ocean conservation, gender equity, and sustainable cities."
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"A digital display screen in the lobby shares sustainable design information with employees and visitors, teaching them about the project’s design and presenting real time energy consumption data."
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"Daylight simulations informed the project’s layout, material selection, and window locations. As a result, the design team strategically placed high-traffic, high-use spaces in areas that receive the most daylight, and selected transparent office partitions ensuring that daylight penetrates deep into the workplace’s core."
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"At the time of certification, The Summit Foundation was one of twenty-two Living Building Challenge
Petal-Certified projects and the first of such located in Washington, DC. This created a degree of difficulty
due to education being the primary challenge throughout preconstruction and construction. The project team had to work collaboratively to ensure all parties were in adherence to not only LBC standards but also LEED v4.0 standards as well." -
"The team worked directly with several major manufacturers, subcontractors, and fabricators to ensure compliance with material usage and disclosure. This integration required three of the vendors to accelerate factory upgrades to accommodate LBC requirements for material ingredient reporting and healthier products."
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"In addition to innovation in material health and transparency, reducing the carbon footprint of the project was a top priority for the design team. As such, the team selected products—including ducts, pipes, gypsum board, ceiling tiles, furniture, and carpet—based on their high recycled content...Additionally, the use of reclaimed wood and materials produced with renewable energy reduced the project’s carbon footprint...Finally, 40 percent of the project’s building materials, by cost—double the amount required by LBC—were sourced within 500 km of the project site, significantly reducing carbon emissions from transportation. In addition, 95 percent, or 60 tons, of the waste generated during construction was diverted from landfill and recycled."
Project Team
Lex Sant, The Summit Foundation - Client
Perkins+Will - Architect
rand* construction corporation - Contractor
Integral Group - MEP Engineer
Stok - Sustainability and Certification Consultant
Size
5,000 GSF
Certification
LEED v4 ID+C Platinum (81 Points)
Living Building Challenge (4 Petals)
FTE
17
Daily Visitors
0
Additional Images and Juror Comments
