WMATA’s headquarters at L’Enfant Plaza certified as LEED® Platinum

Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority’s (WMATA) headquarters at L’Enfant Plaza has been certified as LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council, the highest certification achievable in the LEED program.

The building design and construction were both certified under LEED® Version 4, stringent requirements for energy reduction and material selection. WMATA’s headquarters is one of only two Version 4 projects to have received the certification in Washington, D.C., and one of only 13 projects to receive LEED® Platinum certification for Building Design and Construction in Washington, D.C., all versions considered. The building received a perfect score of 100 on the ENERGY STAR scale. This perfect score contributed towards the overall certification process.

“Sustainability and talented teams are two of WMATA’s pillars in the strategic transformation plan,” said WMATA General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke. “This certification shows our new headquarters will deliver benefits for the environment and employees for decades to come.”

Some unique features of WMATA’s headquarters include:

• Great access to natural daylight, improving employee satisfaction, productivity and health.
• State-of-the-art air filtration and fresh air circulation systems, supporting a healthy work environment.
• Energy-saving automatic daylight sensor lighting and controls, maximizing energy efficiency and lowering costs.
• Access to outdoor spaces, including a green roof and a fitness center, benefiting mental and physical health.
• Waste and recycling management, encouraging recycling and supporting waste diversion. Cooling tower water reuse and water bottle filling stations on every floor, providing filtered water for employees and encouraging the use of reusable water bottles.

WMATA’s headquarters also has onsite secure bicycle storage and electric vehicle charging stations to support decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. The project included all of the critical elements of high-performance building design, focusing on energy reduction and indoor air quality, along with the selective choice of materials and water reduction.

Vital to WMATA’s success was a comprehensive optimization energy study conducted early in the process to ensure the key systems – HVAC, curtain wall glazing, exterior wall insulation and lighting power density – were designed to meet WMATA’s long-term operating goals to reduce energy consumption through the integration of these systems.

WMATA’s headquarters joins 11 other LEED®-certified WMATA projects, with seven additional projects underway.

Award-winning art

Two art installations commissioned by WMATA's Art in Transit program – including the installations at WMATA’s headquarters – recently received prestigious CODAawards International Merit Awards, which recognize collaborations that result in outstanding projects that successfully integrate commissioned art into interior, architecture or public spaces.

“Aura, Hooray and Pebble” by Hou de Sousa, three artworks at WMATA’s headquarters, won the CODAaward in the Institutional category. The installations create a dynamic entrance for WMATA employees and visitors and enhances the broader L’Enfant Plaza neighborhood.

“Dawn and Dusk Resurgent” by Heidi Lippman, located at WMATA’s New Carrollton Office, won Collaboration of the Year. The installation, located on the plaza facing the office building, is a mosaic mural composed of hand cast and manufactured glass and stone originally used for the creation of “Dawn and Dusk,” art created for the New Carrollton parking garage. “Dawn and Dusk Resurgent” is an example of sustainability through the use of collected, salvaged and upcycled material and adaptive creative process.

“We’re thrilled to receive international recognition for two art installations that enhance the experience of Metro employees, customers and the community we serve,” said Laurent Odde, WMATA's Art in Transit program manager. “These award-winning pieces embody WMATA’s goals to support talented teams, regional partnerships and sustainability and we congratulate the artists on this well-deserved recognition.”

To learn more about WMATA’s Art in Transit program, visit WMATA’s website.