by Shane Henson — December 20, 2013—The U.S. Green Building Council recently awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Building Design and Construction: Core and Shell (LEED CS) Platinum certification to a First Potomac Realty Trust building located at 440 First Street, NW in Washington, DC.
Situated in the prominent Capitol Hill submarket, 440 First Street is reportedly only the ninth LEED CS Platinum-certified building in Washington, DC. The LEED Platinum designation recognizes a building’s sustainable design and construction practices, which increase profitability while reducing a building’s negative environmental impact, notes the company.
“This distinction reinforces First Potomac’s commitment to promote efficient and advanced technologies that are beneficial to both the environment and our tenants,” said Douglas J. Donatelli, chairman and CEO of First Potomac Realty Trust. “A LEED Platinum certification for 440 First Street, NW is another tool in attracting tenants as they continue to seek newer buildings that are energy-efficient and well-located in strong submarkets with access to amenities and transportation.”
The 140,000-square-foot, Class A, redeveloped building boasts a glass curtain wall design that allows an abundance of natural light into the space and provides views of the Capitol and the Washington Monument. The building also features two rooftop terraces, a conference center/boardroom, a state-of-the-art fitness center and underground parking, as well as ground floor retail and restaurant space.
The building also boasts the first-ever dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) in Washington, DC. The installation by First Potomac makes use of an innovative heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system that provides a superior level of air quality for tenants and uses far less energy than a traditional HVAC system, the company says.
440 First Street’s significant environmental accomplishment joins First Potomac’s continually growing list of energy-efficient buildings: the Three Flint Hill award-winning redevelopment project in Oakton, Virginia, achieved LEED Gold certification in 2012, joining four other Gold-certified buildings in Maryland and Virginia; and three buildings in Chesapeake, Virginia, received Energy Star certification in November, following three buildings in DC that earned the Energy Star in 2012. First Potomac now has almost 1.7 million square feet of LEED- or Energy Star-certified office space, and 55 percent of its multistory office portfolio is either LEED or Energy Star certified, says the company.
