The National Museum of the United States Army has been awarded LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification. The award, given by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is a globally recognized symbol of sustainable achievement and is part of the most widely used green building rating systems in the world.
The Museum, located at Fort Belvoir, Va., was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) and is scheduled to open on June 4, 2020. The Museum is designed to be the Army’s national landmark and tell the story of America’s oldest military service.
SOM Director Kristopher Takács explained, “One of our primary goals in the design process, was to reduce the overall carbon impact of the new museum while creating a high performance building that expresses the storied principles of the Army. We are thrilled that this goal has been realized.”
Through the LEED® New Construction v2.2 Rating System— based on on its utilization of sustainable features such a radiant heating and cooling; increased insulation; improved glazing; high-efficiency LED lighting; automatic daylighting controls and occupancy sensors; low-flow plumbing fixtures; and green roofs— USGBC awarded the Museum a silver rating. The building has been designed to achieve a 36.5% reduction in energy cost and a 43.2% reduction in water use based on LEED® baselines.
“Our partners at SOM did a magnificent job helping us envision a museum that would reflect the Army’s storied history, its values, and the service of the 30 million men and women who have worn its uniform,” noted Lieutenant General Roger Schultz (USA-Ret.), the Army Historical Foundation’s (AHF’s) President. “SOM’s ability to produce such an impressive design while ensuring the Museum is also green and sustainable is a credit to their team and representative of our shared values.”
