TYSONS, VA — National interdisciplinary design firm HGA announces that the recently completed Capital One Hall in Tysons, Virginia, has earned LEED Gold certification. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the most widely used green building rating system in the world.

“HGA has a long history of designing noteworthy performing arts centers, and we are ecstatic Capital One Hall is LEED Gold certified,” said Scott Cryer, Principal at HGA. “Together with our collaborators, we designed a superior artistic experience with a holistic approach to sustainability and environmental stewardship, both at the building and district/neighborhood scale.”

The 149,000-square-foot Capital One Hall is in the heart of Capital One Center, a new mixed-use urban redevelopment spanning 24.5 acres. The campus is steps away from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s Silver Line and features a bikeable, pedestrian-friendly environment.

Some of Capital One Hall’s sustainability features include:

• Finishes and Coatings: Finishes and coatings with low or no emissions were used to help promote human-healthy indoor environments.
• Heating and Cooling Systems: Heating and cooling systems are zoned and optimized to include energy recovery systems, which are expected to achieve 27 percent more energy savings as compared to a code-compliant building.
• Daylighting/Thermal Comfort: The building envelope has been enhanced for daylighting and views, while mitigating solar gains to keep the cooling loads and energy use down. HGA and its partners conducted a solar radiation analysis that provided guidance on which exterior panels of the structure should be glass and which should be stone to limit direct radiation on the building.
• Green Roof: A sustainable green roof provides a park setting where people can congregate but also acts as an integral part of Capital One Hall’s acoustics. The serrated design of the atrium ceiling, which echoes the building façade, provides deep areas suited to tree planting that also enhance the acoustics.
• Water Management: Water efficient landscaping, along with stormwater quality and quantity controls exceeded standard performance.

“LEED is a transformative tool that ensures a building is designed and operated to achieve high performance, improve human health, and protect the environment,” said Peter Templeton, President and CEO, USGBC. “By prioritizing sustainability, Capital One Hall is leading the way in its industry and helping USGBC continue towards our goal of green buildings for everyone within this generation.”