WASHINGTON – Group Goetz Architects (GGA) recently announced that it was awarded LEED® Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for the design of its corporate offices at 2900 K Street in Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood.
As the first Washington-based design firm to achieve this prestigious designation, GGA continues to serve as a sustainability leader by incorporating sustainable design principles into each of its projects. GGA has taken the lead on sustainable workplace design by achieving LEED Platinum certification—practicing what it preaches and providing its employees and clients with highly efficient, healthy workplaces that reduce our carbon footprint.
“GGA’s LEED Platinum certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” says Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO & founding chair, USGBC. “The urgency of USGBC’s mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and GGA serves as a prime example with just how much we can accomplish.”
To establish its continued commitment to green building, GGA’s design compliments the evolving culture of the American workplace. The new, 16,000-square-foot office has a completely open floor plan zoned by a “main boulevard” which runs the full length of the office. This spine separates a high-tech conference center, library and employee lounge from the firm’s design studio. The studio contains spacious communal workspaces for both executives and staff that encourage employee communication and peer relationship building.
The firm’s employees enjoy the benefit of 100 percent natural light penetration as well as daylight controlled lighting and individual temperature controls. The open layout and glass exterior also lower energy consumption by reducing the need for artificial and engineered lighting. To improve accessibility to alternative transportation, GGA employees enjoy access to metro, car sharing, shuttle service and bike racks. Staff also have access to a state of the art health club facility and subsidized health food vending machines.
“LEED Platinum certification further demonstrates our commitment to sustainable environments for our employees and clients alike,” says Lewis Goetz, FAIA, FIIDA, president and CEO, Group Goetz Architects. “We are proud to lead this charge and encourage others to improve their social, ecological and financial performance by greening their spaces.”
LEED Platinum is the highest level of certification given through a rating system that measures how well a project performs across all of the metrics that matter most: energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other innovative sustainable strategies. Platinum certification requires 42 points or more (GGA achieved 43 points for its design). LEED certification of GGA’s office was based on a number of green design features. The design recognizes that building materials—and the energy required to extract or create them—are not infinite and must be carefully considered throughout the life-cycle of the space.
Office photos are available online at www.gga.com.
Group Goetz Architects, a nationally recognized architectural design firm, is headquartered in Washington, D.C., providing design excellence and innovation to its public and private sector clients. GGA is known for its quality design and forward thinking in the development of high-performance, flexible and dynamic building environments balancing image, function and financial resources. For more information, contact Lauren Searl at (202) 777-0493 or [email protected].