700 Sixth Street is a ‘Smart’ building offering the following environmentally sensitive, energy-efficient and technologically advanced features.

LEED PLATINUM
700 Sixth Street is LEED Platinum certified. LEED or Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design is a program established by the US Green Building Council to facilitate greener building practices, to respond to environmental concerns that arise from traditional building practices, and to measure building performance.

LOCATION
Where a building is located is a major factor in making it green. 700 Sixth Street is well-located in a dense, mixed-use neighborhood that has ample public transportation opportunities and access to a diverse array of services such as shops, restaurants and housing. All of these factors mean that 700 Sixth Street Clients have commuting alternatives and may not need to drive to work or run errands. The parking facility also provides preferred parking spaces for alternative fuel – hybrid or electric – cars and car sharing vehicles for a total of 10 percent of the parking capacity.

GREEN ROOF
700 Sixth Street has the largest green roof on a private sector building in Washington. Green or vegetated roofs capture storm water and allow it to be released back into the atmosphere through evaporation rather than directing it to the municipal water treatment system. This is especially important in DC where a combined sewer system means storm water and sanitary pipes are connected. Because DC is so dense and many surfaces are impervious (water cannot drain directly into the ground), when it rains the overflow often washes sewage into our local waterways, like Rock Creek and the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers. By providing a green roof, 700 Sixth Street does its part to keep this from happening.

Green roofs also help filter out dirt and debris from storm water before it runs into our storm water collection system, keeping pollutants out of local waterways. Although dirt entering a river may seem harmless, it actually can accumulate over time, changing the shape and depth of the body of water. In addition, the debris can cloud the water, preventing sunlight from penetrating below the surface. This can be detrimental to aquatic plant life and eventually to those species that feed on plant life. Green roofs work very hard to protect our local waterways!

Green roofs also help deflect heat from the sun, reducing the urban heat island effect. This effect is caused by densely built areas where asphalt, concrete, granite and other building and surface paving materials absorb heat from the sun. Densely built urban areas are often up to 15 degrees hotter than their outlying suburban neighbors because of the abundance of these materials and minimal vegetation. The vegetation on the roof helps keep the ambient temperature cooler through evaporation.

In addition to holding storm water and keeping things cool, green roofs also provides open space and access to native and adaptive plant species to help support biodiversity in the area.

WATER EFFICIENCY
Many cities and regions around the country and world are struggling with shortages of drinking water. Water is a precious resource and smarter building design can reduce the consumption and waste of this resource. Water is also very energy intensive in its treatment and transport to and from buildings, so saving water helps 700 Sixth Street save energy too. Areas where water is conserved include:

Irrigation – Through conscientious landscape design and the selection of native and adaptive plants (non-invasive species) 700 Sixth Street is able to eliminate the need for irrigation.

Water Conserving Fixtures – The design team has selected water conserving fixtures, which reduce the amount of potable water used by the building for flushing and washing by over 40 percent. These fixtures include low flush urinals, aerated faucets and showerheads (lower flow with air providing the pressure), and dual flush valve toilets. Dual flush valves give users the option of using a full or half flush by pushing the lever up or down.

ENERGY & ATMOSPHERE
Climate change is one of the single most daunting global issues. Buildings are said to be responsible for 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and 67 percent of electricity use in the US. LEED Certified buildings have demonstrated on average a minimum of 30 percent energy savings over their non-LEED counterparts. Energy efficiency was achieved through the building envelope (enclosure) design as well as the mechanical and lighting systems.

Building mechanical and fire suppression systems also may contain refrigerants that contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer, further endangering our delicate climate. 700 Sixth Street uses no CFCs or HCFCs, thereby preventing ozone depletion.

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES
It is important not just to build an energy and water efficient building, but to consider the materials that are used in construction and how they get to the site. The rapid rate of development occurring now strains raw material resources. Furthermore, many materials must travel a long distance to reach the building site, a fuel-intensive process. Meanwhile, 75 percent of landfill capacity is full of demolition and construction debris from the building process! You could recycle all of your plastic and glass bottles, newspapers and cans, and you still would not have as much impact as better building practices. The construction of 700 Sixth Street resulted in reduced landfill waste and energy consumption based on following the procedures described here.

Construction Waste Management – Over 75 percent of all construction and demolition debris is being recycled, salvaged for reuse, or otherwise diverted from landfill. Because 700 Sixth Street is in the middle of an urban area, co-mingled waste is taken off-site to be sorted and recycled at a nearby facility.

Recycled Content – Building materials that contain recycled content prevent the over-harvesting or extraction of new, raw materials and prevent waste from ending up in a landfill. Recycled content will comprise over 10 to 20 percent of building materials, including metals, concrete, glass, ceiling tiles, carpet and wall board, among others

Local and Regional Materials – Using products containing raw or salvaged materials from the region (within 500 miles of the project) reduces the amount of energy required to transport the material to the job site during construction. Regional materials will comprise more than 10 to 20 percent of all building materials, including masonry, metals and concrete.

Certified Wood – Deforestation is one of the leading causes of greenhouse gas emissions. Trees act as ‘sinks’ for carbon dioxide and release it when they are cut down. Some forests require sustainable harvesting techniques, for example hewing every 10th tree and replanting a new tree immediately. Certified wood is the product of these techniques and was used in 700 Sixth Street.

INDOOR ENVIRMENTAL QUALITY
Because office occupants spend the majority of their time indoors, it is important to create good indoor air quality when a building is under construction and to maintain it throughout building occupancy. Poor air quality can cause illness, fatigue and may lead to a reduction in productivity. Maintaining air quality and a healthy indoor environment can actually benefit building Clients by supporting health and productivity while reducing absenteeism and turnover. 700 Sixth Street has incorporated several strategies to ensure good air quality. They are described here.

Ventilation – Good air quality is supported by bringing in ample fresh ‘outdoor’ air into a building. In order to make sure that 700 Sixth Street always provides a high level of air quality, regularly occupied spaces are supplied with 30 percent more outdoor air than required. Outdoor air must be dehumidified and conditioned, an energy-intensive process, so irregularly occupied spaces are monitored to provide additional outdoor air only when needed. Carbon dioxide monitors are able to ‘sense’ when these spaces are occupied and trigger an increase in ventilation. People exhale carbon dioxide so when a space such as an auditorium or a cafeteria becomes populated, the monitors are able to quickly direct the ventilation system to respond.

Reduction of Contaminants – Many traditional building materials have been found to ‘out-gas’ or exude harmful chemicals called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), particularly when they are first installed. New paint or new carpet often has an odor, which is a signal that this material is out-gassing. At 700 Sixth Street, building materials such as paints, adhesives, carpet and wood products were specified to be low-VOC in order to prevent these chemicals from contaminated the indoor air. Special measures were also taken in construction to keep dirt, debris and contaminants out of the building ductwork so that air supply is always clean. High quality filters (called MERV 13) maintain this level of cleanliness throughout occupancy.

INNOVATION IN DESIGN
The LEED certification system provides opportunities for excellence and creativity in approaching a building design sustainably. 700 Sixth Street achieved maximum LEED credits in this category by exceeding LEED requirements in areas such as water conservation and using services such as green housekeeping.

IN-BUILDING WIRELESS
700 Sixth Street is not just a green building; it is a smart building featuring the latest technologies for convenience and life safety. The in-building wireless system means that building Clients will be able to connect new staff and visitors to the company’s network wirelessly and immediately with little cost and ample security. Cellular phone usage will be seamless throughout the building, even in the lowest levels of the garage, the elevators cores, and on the rooftop terrace. The life-safety component of in-building wireless means that emergency personnel are able to communicate freely throughout the building where they typically have to rely on their own radio waves dispersed from the emergency vehicle. Akridge headquarters building and 700 Sixth Street’s neighbor, The Homer Building, was the first multi-Client office building in North America to provide this technology, and building Clients utilize it with frequency.