06-SUS-013\
**DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HEADQUARTERS PROJECT\
\
U.S. Department of Transportation**

The U.S. Department of Transportation Headquarters Project is a
design-build new lease construction project in which major sustainable
design elements were integrated in the design to improve the project's
contribution to the environment throughout its life cycle.

This 1.35 million rentable square foot office building will serve as
headquarters for the executive cabinet-level agency and house 5,500 of
its employees. In addition to the sustainable design principles, other
factors that influenced the design include: the Master Plan and Design
Guidelines for the Southeast Federal Center and the Interagency Security
Criteria which establishes security standards for federal government
agencies.

The project's sustainable design approach focused on the site, general
energy savings, materials, indoor air quality and water efficiency. This
project, in November 1999, took the opportunity in raising the bar for
GSA lease construction by introducing sustainable design principles into
the project requirements. This was among the first few to incorporate
sustainable design elements, and helped pioneer this shift in GSA's
leasing program.

Another major component of sustainable design that is integrated into
the project is energy savings. The energy savings systems in place
include:

-   Variable speed pumping systems for heating and cooling

-   Variable speed drive (VSD) fan motors for cooling towers

-   VSD on all air handling units (100 AHU in the project) that are
    variable air volume (VAV) systems

-   Water side economizers that process cold water such that the
    buildings do not have to run central water chillers during cooler
    seasons

-   Boilers on the project have natural gas as the primary fuel with
    fuel oil as the backup

-   Practically all interior lighting is fluorescent (over 20,000
    fluorescent light fixtures)

-   Low flow plumbing fixtures

-   Low "e" glass with low shading coefficients to reduce the load on
    the heating and cooling systems.

The use of these systems results in reduction in energy consumption of
15-30 percent less than a traditional constant volume system.

Day lighting was another factor that contributed to energy conservation.
In addition, strict indoor air quality requirements were built into the
project that required the careful selection of materials, finishes and
installation compound or cleaning compounds that would not compromise
the indoor air quality. The carpeting and ceiling for the office areas
required a recycled content (there is more than 1 million square feet of
carpeting and ceiling for the project or an area equal to 17
professional football fields); all panel fabrics have recycled content;
all wood panel veneering is to be FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)
certified; there is practically no vinyl wall covering on the project;
and all systems furniture and office seating is required to be
Greenguard certified or registered.

**Contact:**

George Fields, Director, Office of Real Property and Asset Management

Office of the Secretary/Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Administration

U.S. Department of Transportation

george.fields@dot.gov