NASA Langley Research Center Headquarters

Project Details

Project Description

NASA looked to the U.S. General Services Administration to help them plan for six buildings, through GSA’s Design Excellence Program. Cooper Carry was among the team awarded the Design-Excellence Design-Build contract for the first of six buildings. This three story, all glass and metal panel building is the new home for the Center’s Director, her team, and five other departments. The interior will support five state-of-the-art conferencing rooms that will provide real time connection between NASA’s other strategic Centers. In adhering to NASA’s directive to be sustainable along with a required service life of 40 years, our team proposed a better than LEED Gold rating, ultimately achieving Platinum, through innovative solutions that include under-floor air distribution (UFAD) in addition to the bridging design having geo-thermal, photovoltaic (PV) elements and vegetative (Green) roof. The photovoltaic onsite power generation is achieved through two systems; 1) fixed solar panels placed on the penthouse roof, and 2) a photovoltaic film sandwiched between the glazing layers within the building’s massive atrium skylight.
Awards:
• Client Advisor Award, Large Professional Services Firm, 2013
• Gold-Level Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell’s Environmental Excellence Award, 2012
• Best Green Building, Engineering News-Record Southeast, 2011 Best Projects
• Innovation Award, Sustainability Category, GSA Real Property, 2011
• LEED-NC Platinum, USGBC, 2011
• Featured in B&C Southeast and Northeast Magazines due to its high performance initiatives
• NASA Blue Marble Award for Excellence in Energy and Water Management
• U.S. Department of Energy, Federal Energy and Water Management Award, 2012