The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Computer Center in Research Triangle Park, N.C., has achieved LEED® Silver certification. The two-story, 100,000-sf facility was completed in 2001 at a cost of $18 million, or approximately $150 per square foot minus site and utility infrastructure cost. Designed by O'Brien/Atkins Associates and built by Skanska USA , the facility was constructed on a standard budget. The construction of an environmentally sustainable building at no additional cost was achieved by utilizing a single-source design/build strategy with both architects and general contractors working under the same contract.
The building's size was able to be reduced by twenty percent due to the more compact nature of modern supercomputers; only 25,000 sf of raised floor space was needed. The restricted access to the building needed for security was achieved by relocating 80 on-site boulders to form a natural security barrier; the cost of moving the boulders at $100 each was a fraction of the cost of the otherwise necessary five tons of steel guardrails. Energy saving features of the design include a windowless supercomputer room for temperature and energy demand mitigation; fiberoptic cabling; water-efficient fixtures; and a highly reflective roof with a 100-kilowatt photovoltaic unit.
A southern orientation to the building maximizes natural light, with windows on the southern side equipped with aluminum shades for seasonal light and heat adjustments. Environmentally-friendly carpets, adhesive, and sealants were used in the construction as well as concrete blocks containing recycled fly ash. Over eighty percent of all construction debris was recycled. Building automation features include sensors that shut off lighting and slow the ventilation systems in room with no occupants.
