Bethesda, MD – The Wharf – Parcel 5 Hotels has received official notification from the U.S. Green Building Council that it has achieved LEED Gold Certification. “Gold for hotels speaks to vision, design, and team commitment,” said Avneet Gujral of Sustainable Design Consulting, the green building expert who spearheaded the sustainability/LEED certification process and worked on the dual-branded hotel project. It is the first project of the Hoffman-Madison Waterfront mixed-use development to achieve any LEED certification.
Originally targeting LEED Silver, the entire project team was able to go above and beyond its sustainability efforts to earn enough points for LEED Gold. Highlights include the 87.4% of material diverted from landfill and disposal, well above the 75% needed. The hotels are made up of 23% recycled content, with the curtain wall aluminum extrusions helping break the 20% threshold needed for maximum points. The majority of the flooring is made from low VOC (volatile organic compound) materials and are FloorScore certified. Additionally, all of the common area millwork material is formaldehyde free.
The 300,000 square foot project, constructed by Donohoe Construction Company, features Hyatt House, a 238-key extended stay hotel, and Canopy by Hilton, a 175-key luxury hotel. This is the first Canopy by Hilton to open in the United States. SmithGroup JJR designed the hotels with some limited shared amenity spaces such as a fitness center, an outdoor pool, meeting room space, and a rooftop bar with views of the Washington Channel. The hotels also feature over 30,000 square feet of retail space and two levels of below grade parking.
The U.S. Green Building Council, a Washington DC based nonprofit coalition of building industry leaders, developed LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) to promote sustainable construction practices and amenities. LEED Certified buildings reduce negative environmental impacts and are less costly to operate. LEED Gold is the second highest level of LEED certification.
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