AECOM provided full bridging architectural and engineering services for the new headquarters building for NASA’s Langley Research Center, a $23 million, 72,000-square foot administrative office building. The new headquarters houses the Office of the Director, Office of Procurement, Office of the Chief Counsel, Office of Human Capital Management, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, and the Systems Management Office.
The new headquarters building is conceptualized as a parallelogram on a triangular site with a two-sided entry at ground level linked by a continuous lobby. The southern entrance plaza links both through the lobby and around the building to the north plaza, which is oriented to the heart of the campus.
The headquarters building was required to achieve LEED-NC Gold certification but achieved LEED-NC Platinum certification, focusing on the reduction of operating and maintenance costs, energy efficiency, comfort for the occupants, and a low environmental impact. In addition, the building performs at high levels for site sustainability and water efficiency.
The new environmentally conscious building also incorporates renewable energy; low flow plumbing fixtures; preferred parking for fuel-efficient and high-occupancy vehicles; a green roof, which holds and filters stormwater, providing a cooler building and HVAC/cooling system support; photovoltaic panels on the mechanical penthouse to capture the sun’s energy and further reduce the need for electricity from the grid; and a xeriscape landscape.
Awards
- 2011 ENR Southeast Best Green Building Award
- Construction Management Association of America, National Capital Chapter, Project Achievement Award
- NASA’s Environment and Energy “Blue Marble” Award
- 2011 GSA Real Property Innovation Award, Sustainability Category