The Top 15 Eco-Friendly Sustainable Buildings in Virginia

Images courtesy of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and Skanska.

The construction industry has been linked to the depletion of natural resources, 39 percent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and 50% of climate change. This explains why Virginia’s architects, engineers, and builders are implementing eco-friendly strategies to counter these effects.

Consequently, there are many eco-friendly sustainable buildings in Virginia with state-of-the-art designs that conserve natural resources.

Eco-friendly and sustainable construction focuses on conserving natural resources like non-renewable energy and water. It also promotes low environmental impact building techniques to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, waste generation, and climate change. Builders achieve these requirements in different ways, including using eco-friendly materials and designs.

In the rest of this article, I’ll discuss the top 15 eco-friendly sustainable buildings in Virginia. I’ll dive into how these buildings’ eco-friendly features benefit the planet and those who inhabit them. Keep reading!

1. Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science II

The Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science II is among the top eco-friendly sustainable buildings in Virginia due to its energy efficiency and use of recycled materials.

The 43,000-square-foot (4,000-square-meter) three-story building houses research facilities, laboratories, offices, and conference rooms.

The building’s construction commenced in 2009 and was completed in 2011. It was designed to be eco-friendly and conserve natural resources. Consequently, it earned a LEED Gold certification after its commissioning in 2011.

This structure’s first notable green building aspect is its use of recycled materials. A large percentage of the materials used to build the institute incorporated recycled content. Recycled materials promote sustainability by conserving natural resources and removing waste from landfills.

Moreover, its designers focused on indoor air quality control using VOC-free materials and finishes. They also adopted larger windows for enhanced ventilation and daylighting to minimize dependency on artificial lighting for energy conservation.

Careful selection of energy-efficient laboratory equipment made it possible for the institute to conserve more energy.

2. Wayland Hall

Located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Wayland Hall was the first renovated residence hall in America to achieve LEED Platinum certification in 2012.

The hall’s renovation from 2010 pursued the highest sustainability levels to make it more eco-friendly.

The 41,000-square-foot (3,800-square-meter) four-story building incorporates features and designs that minimize its carbon footprint, reduce energy and water consumption, and enhance indoor air quality for occupants.

These features include:

• Water harvesting cistern: The hall has a 10,000-gallon (38,000-liter) rainwater harvesting cistern for toilet conveyance. The cistern made it possible to reduce the building’s potable water consumption by 91 percent.
• Ground-source geothermal heat system: The hall’s geothermal heat pump system circulates water through a series of pipes to absorb heat from the ground. The system also uses a water-source heat pump to cool or heat the air. It has made it possible to reduce energy consumption by 39%.
• Daylighting: The building incorporates larger windows for adequate natural light and ventilation, reducing its dependence on artificial lighting.

3. Davidson Hall

Owned by Virginia Tech, Davidson Hall is among the institute’s LEED-certified buildings.

The 69,211-square-foot (6,430-square-meter) building is among the institute’s historic structures built in the 1800s. However, it underwent renovations in 2014 to make it more environmentally friendly.

The hall became LEED Silver-certified after its renovation in 2014. This came after the incorporation of the following sustainable features:

• Water efficiency: The building was renovated with water-efficient plumbing fixtures in the restrooms, toilets, and kitchens. These fixtures have reduced the building’s water consumption considerably.
• Energy efficiency: The hall’s energy-efficient features include natural ventilation, high-performance windows for daylighting, and highly efficient HVAC systems. These systems were crucial in the hall’s LEED Silver certification.
• Materials: Renovation materials were obtained through sustainable procurement practices like purchasing FSC-certified wood.
• Renovation: The work was undertaken in line with Virginia Energy Conservation and Environmental Standards.
• Sustainable sites: The building has outdoor seating, bike racks, and landscaping with local plants. These initiatives have encouraged sustainable transportation and water conservation through reduced irrigation, as well as increased biodiversity.

4. James Madison University, CISAT Bioscience Building

The Biosciences Building is one of the top eco-friendly sustainable buildings in Virginia due to its focus on reducing its carbon footprint.

The 90,000-square-foot (8,360-square-meter) building is an academic facility owned by James Madison University. It became LEED Silver-certified in 2013 due to its diverse initiatives to reduce carbon emissions while conserving energy.

A green roof is the building’s most beneficial sustainable feature. The roof provides additional insulation to keep the building warm in winter and cool in summer. Consequently, it lowers the demand for artificial heating and cooling, conserving more energy.

Moreover, the green roof reduces the heat island effect by absorbing solar radiation. This keeps the building and its surroundings cool, reducing energy consumption further.

The building’s outdoor area has gardens with different native plants grouped by family. These plants help reduce runoff by absorbing and retaining rainwater.

The plants also help sequester carbon from the atmosphere.

What’s more, since the plants are native, they’re highly adapted to Virginia’s climate, meaning they don’t need constant irrigation, helping in water conservation.

Other eco-friendly features of the Biosciences Building include:

• Energy-efficient HVAC and lighting systems
• An integrated greenhouse
• Dual-technology occupancy light sensors

5. Sandy Hall

Sandy Hall is another eco-friendly building owned by Virginia Tech.

The hall was originally built in 1924 but did not incorporate many eco-friendly features. However, it was renovated with sustainable features in 2018 and became LEED Silver-certified.

The renovation works focused mainly on energy and water efficiency. The institute wanted to lower its energy and water bills through the efficient use of these resources.

The sustainable features added during the renovation include:

• Low-flow plumbing fixtures: Toilets, kitchens, and bathrooms were fitted with low-flow fixtures to reduce water consumption.
• High-performance windows: These windows facilitate daylighting, reducing the need for artificial lighting and conserving energy.
• Efficient LED lighting system: The hall is lit with an LED lighting system, reducing energy consumption further.
• Energy-efficient HVAC systems: The building is equipped with highly efficient HVAC systems for heating and cooling. The HVAC systems were tested for efficiency in extreme winter and summer temperatures.

Finally, the renovation materials were secured through sustainable practices to reduce the building’s carbon footprint.

6. The Center for Design, Media, and the Arts

Located in Alexandria, The Center for Design, Media, and the Arts is a building owned by the Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA).

The building became LEED Gold-certified in August 2017 after attaining credits in several categories, including energy efficiency and water conservation.

The facility’s green features focus mainly on reducing fossil fuel consumption and conserving energy and water. Some of these features include:

• Water efficiency: The building has low-flow plumbing fixtures in toilets, bathrooms, and kitchens to reduce water consumption. Its landscaping also incorporates native plants to reduce the demand for irrigation. These features have made it possible for the building to use over 20,000 gallons (76,000 liters) of water less than code-compliant buildings.
• Waste management: Over 92% (781 tons) of the center’s construction and demolition waste was diverted from landfills through recycling.
• Energy efficiency: Over 50 percent of the most occupied spaces have access to natural daylighting through large and vertical windows. Moreover, the building has occupancy sensors that automatically turn lights on or off, depending on the room’s occupancy. These initiatives help to save more energy.
• Encouraging reuse: The facility has bottle filling stations on each floor to reduce single-use plastic water bottles by encouraging reuse.
• Outdoor gardens: The center has native plants that add beauty and reduce runoff. The plants also promote carbon sequestration.

7. Hyatt Place Courthouse

Hyatt Place Courthouse is the second LEED Gold-certified hotel in Arlington due to its focus on energy and water conservation and efficient use of natural resources.

The 93,000-square-foot (8,600-square-meter) courthouse is located close to the metro. This is crucial in sustainability because it encourages the use of public transportation, reducing the need for personal vehicles and associated carbon emissions.

The hotel was designed for optimal air quality to enhance the guests’ experience. It achieves this naturally by delivering outdoor air to densely-occupied spaces through an efficient HVAC system.

The hotel features healthy materials like low-emitting paints, sealants, coatings, flooring, and adhesives. These also promote good quality indoor air.

Approximately 14 percent of the materials used to build the courthouse contain recycled content.

Besides conserving natural resources, using recycled materials removes waste from landfills.

Over 23% of the building materials were manufactured within a 500-mile (800-km) radius to reduce transportation carbon emissions.

Finally, by diverting 93 percent of onsite construction waste from landfills, the hotel made sure to minimize the environmental impact of its construction phase.

8. The Navy League Building

The Navy League Building in Virginia is the headquarters of The Navy League of the United States. This is a non-profit, civilian organization that supports Marine Corps, the Navy, the U.S.-flag Merchant Marine, and the Coast Guard.

Due to its green initiatives, the 214,000-square-foot (19,900-square-meter) facility was the first in Arlington to become LEED-certified.

The building’s eco-friendly features focus on energy efficiency, water conservation, and sustainable building materials.

Some of these features include:

• High-performance windows: They facilitate daylighting and reduce the need for artificial lighting to save energy.
• LED lighting systems: They’re more energy-efficient than their conventional counterparts.
• Low-flow plumbing fixtures: They reduce water consumption in bathrooms, kitchens, and toilets.
• Reusing materials: This initiative was incorporated to reduce waste generation.
• Efficient HVAC systems: They’re designed to reduce energy consumption, even in extreme conditions during the depths of winter and the height of summer.

9. 1000 Wilson Boulevard

Located in Arlington, 1000 Wilson Boulevard is a 31-story skyscraper along the Potomac River. It’s owned and operated by Monday Properties.

The tower is LEED-EB Gold Certified due to its energy and water conservation commitment. It also fosters indoor environmental quality and excellent site maintenance.

The tower boasts the second-largest active living green wall in the United States. A green wall is a living structure that covers the exterior wall of a building.

The 780-square-foot (72-square-meter) living wall enhances indoor air quality by purifying the air and reducing heat gain.

Other green initiatives include:

• Water efficiency: It has low-flow plumbing fixtures in bathrooms, kitchens, and toilets to help tenants conserve water.
• Efficient HVAC systems: The tower has highly efficient HVAC systems for heating and cooling while conserving energy.
• Material selection: It was built with healthy materials free of VOCs.

Finally, the tower’s proximity to major public transportation hubs and thoroughfares reduces the need for personal vehicles. This lowers carbon dioxide emissions.

10. JBG Smith’s Central Place

Based in Arlington, JBG Smith’s Central Place combines a commercial tower, a residential tower, and an outdoor plaza.

While the commercial tower is LEED Gold-certified, the residential tower is LEED Silver-certified. The buildings got these certifications due to their focus on sustainability.

JBG Smith’s Central Place green initiatives mainly focus on energy and water conservation and waste management.

Some of the key sustainability features include:

• A green roof: It provides additional insulation to keep the indoors warm in winter and cool in summer without relying on the central heating and cooling system. It also reduces the heat island effect to enhance indoor comfort.
• Water-efficient landscaping: It incorporates low-flow landscaping equipment and native plants to conserve irrigation water and minimize runoff.
• Energy efficiency: The towers have occupancy sensors that automatically switch off lights when rooms aren’t occupied. They also have energy-efficient appliances and fixtures to lower energy consumption.
• Flooring: The towers have eco-friendly wood flooring made from sustainably sourced timber.

11. 1812 North Moore

Located in Arlington, 1812 North Moore is one of the top eco-friendly sustainable buildings in Virginia. It’s owned and operated by Monday Properties.

The 35-story building is the tallest in the Washington Metropolitan area.

1812 North Moore is LEED Platinum-certified due to its numerous water and energy conservation measures.

Monday Properties has also invested heavily in renewable energy sources like wind and solar to make this tower even more eco-friendly.

The tower’s key sustainability features include the following:

• Low-flow plumbing fixtures: The building has low-flow plumbing fixtures in its toilets, bathrooms, and kitchens. These fixtures have contributed to a reduction in water usage by 40 percent.
• Energy efficiency: It has energy-efficient lamps and other electrical technologies that improve lighting levels while reducing energy costs.
• Efficient HVAC systems: The tower has an efficient HVAC system that maintains comfortable indoor temperatures while using energy effectively.

12. Fairfax County Public Safety Headquarters

Fairfax County Public Safety is in charge of safety within the Fairfax metropolitan area in Virginia. It has a dedicated staff who work 24 hours to respond to emergencies like fires and medical calls.

Fairfax County Public Safety Headquarters is LEED Gold-certified, indicating that it adheres to numerous green building initiatives.

The building’s eco-friendly features include:

• Efficient lighting systems: It has energy-efficient LED lighting fixtures to reduce energy consumption.
• Green roof: It acts as an insulator to keep the building warm in winter and cool in summer, reducing the demand for heating and cooling systems. It also improves comfort by reducing the heat island effect.
• Natural daylighting: Its large windows facilitate natural lighting, reducing the need for artificial lighting.
• Water conservation: It has low-flow fixtures in bathrooms and kitchens to reduce water wastage.
• Permeable pavers: They facilitate drainage and reduce water runoff from the building. Consequently, they help prevent erosion and flooding.
• Stormwater biofilters: They use vegetation to filter out contaminants from stormwater and reduce runoff. This makes the water safe for reuse in activities like irrigation.
• Eco-smart environmental controls: They use sophisticated environmental controls to monitor and adjust energy use in different areas. This ensures indoor comfort while minimizing energy consumption.

13. ACC10 Data Center

Located in Ashburn, Virginia, ACC10 Data Center became LEED BD+C-certified under the LEED 2009 v3 certification in 2019 with a scorecard of 61 points.

The center’s location close to public transportation services like metro lines and bus routes reduces carbon dioxide emissions by minimizing the use of personal cars.

Moreover, it promotes the use of alternative means of transport, like bicycles and electric vehicles, to lower carbon dioxide emissions. It does this by providing bicycle storage and charging points.

Other features that make ACC10 Data Center sustainable include the following:

• Stormwater management system: It has a stormwater management system that prevents erosion, flooding, and water contamination.
• Green roof: It reduces energy consumption due to heating and cooling in winter and summer, respectively, by providing additional insulation.
• Water use reduction: The center incorporates water-efficient landscaping practices like native plants and low-flow irrigation systems. Moreover, it uses low-flow plumbing fixtures to conserve water.

14. Alice West Fleet Elementary School

Located in Arlington, Alice West Fleet Elementary School is the largest net zero school in the U.S.

The 110,000-square-foot (10,200-square-meter) school was built in 2019 and accommodates 725 students. It has received numerous awards, like ASHRAE National Technology Award and LEED, due to its sustainability initiatives.

The school features a 500 kWh rooftop solar array that supplies power to supplement electricity. The renewable solar energy reduces the school’s dependence on mains electricity, lowering its carbon footprint.

Moreover, it has a geothermal heating and cooling system that uses underground thermal energy for temperature regulation. It eliminates the need for a conventional cooling system, thus reducing energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

15. Archer Hotel Tysons

Archer Hotel Tysons is among the top eco-friendly sustainable buildings in Virginia.

It’s a LEED Silver-certified building due to its water and energy efficiency, sustainable sites, and efficient use of resources and materials.

The hotel has no permanent outdoor irrigation to minimize outdoor water consumption. It also has low-flow plumbing fixtures that have reduced indoor water consumption by 31%.

The hotel’s bicycle storage in the parking garage encourages cycling to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Finally, it optimized efficient energy use in the following ways:

• Installing energy-efficient lighting fixtures.
• High-performance windows that reduce heat gain due to solar exposure.
• Reducing hot water demand through low-flow plumbing fixtures.

Final Thoughts On Sustainable Buildings in Virginia

With these top eco-friendly sustainable buildings in Virginia, it’s clear that the state is embracing green building initiatives. It aims to reduce energy consumption and conserve natural resources.

You can also invest in some of these green building initiatives to contribute to environmental sustainability.