by Shane Henson — May 18, 2012—Sustainability Base, NASA’s newest federal facility located at the NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California, is proving that it was aptly named. The facility, which incorporates innovations developed for space travel, recently received the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) highest level of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, LEED Platinum.
LEED, an internationally recognized mark of excellence, provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. According to the USGBC, Sustainability Base was awarded LEED Platinum certification because it received more than 80 out of 100 points across five major categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality, plus additional points for innovation in design and regional priority.
Unlike any other government building ever constructed, the new facility’s performance includes repurposed NASA aerospace technologies. Highly intelligent, even intuitive, the building is designed to optimize its performance automatically, in real time, and in response to internal and external changes, says NASA. The 50,000 square-foot, lunar-shaped building will know exactly how much energy each occupant uses and can adapt to weather, season and occupancy.
It was also designed to be “native to place,” which means it incorporates surrounding elements into its new design. It has outdoor workspaces, pleasing views of nature, natural shading and natural daylight, fresh air, and its interior is made from non-toxic materials. It is simultaneously a workplace, a showcase for NASA technologies, and a living prototype for buildings of the future.
The facility’s recent LEED Platinum certification now stands among the building’s many recognitions, as it has already won prestigious national awards. They include the 2010 U.S. General Services Administration Award for Green Innovation; the 2010 San Jose Silicon Valley Structures Award for Best Green Public Building; the 2011 White House Greengov “Lean, Clean and Green Award;” and a “Leadership in Innovation Award” from the Center for Environmental Innovation and Leadership.
