The Green Building Initiative (GBI) announced the NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Building 4221 as the 2020 Green Globes Project of the Year in a virtual awards ceremony yesterday on Earth Day. The project earned a Three Green Globes rating under Green Globes for New Construction in February 2020. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Building 4221, located in Huntsville, AL, was designed with sustainability in mind at each stage, including building planning, design, construction, and operations. This project earned the Project of the Year designation for its innovative and thoughtful sustainability achievements, implemented early in design by a robust integrated design process.

A customized stormwater management plan, cistern, and bioswales, reducing runoff rate through the use of a stormwater capture and infiltration strategy. The 20,000-gallon cistern is used for irrigation when necessary. The entire roof contains highly reflective materials and includes a 120kW solar array, providing onsite renewable energy. Energy usage is reduced through an improved thermal envelope, high-efficiency glazing, and exterior shading. Sunshades provide shade during summer months and captures solar heating during the winter months.

The project also includes exceptional sustainable elements and features that promote occupancy health and wellness inside the building, including a green cleaning program, temperature, and humidity sensors to maintain thermal comfort and daylighting in 94% of occupied space. A central atrium provides a spectacular lobby area with views of the greenway and a grand stairway that promotes the use of stairs. Each stair landing includes open work areas and provides outdoor access.

Material selection and limiting carbon emissions from product manufacturing and transportation were deliberate from initial planning stages. During construction, the project diverted 78% of on-site generated construction waste from landfills and 23% of the total construction materials contain recycled content. Nearly one quarter of all building materials consist of local materials made less than 500 miles from the project site and 92% of the wood used in construction came from FSC-Certified forests.

“We are delighted to recognize NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Building 4221 as the 2020 Green Globes Project of the Year,” said Vicki Worden, GBI President & CEO. “The use of an inclusive and proactive integrated design team approach proved extremely successful in implementing creative and effective sustainability initiatives. The Green Globes criteria encourages incorporating sustainability goals into the conversation early with a variety of disciplines, which TM Partners clearly demonstrated.”

The Green Globes Project of the Year Award recognizes leadership and innovation for sustainability in the built environment. GBI seeks to empower and promote deserving projects in this second annual award. “TM Partners knew that it was important to our customer to reflect the NASA mission, respecting the past and pushing the boundaries toward the future while maintaining a commitment to sustainable design. Green Globes streamlined the green building certification to create a sustainable design and the assessor assigned to our project provided invaluable support to lead to a successful project” said TM Partners Project Manager, Rich McNeil.

GBI would also like to recognize the Green Globes Project of the Year Runner Up, the Ferguson Enterprises Headquarters building, located in Newport News, VA. The eight-story office building earned a Three Green Globes rating under Green Globes for New Construction in December 2020. The project achieved 73% of the applicable Energy points. A pEUI reduction of 70% compared to baseline was achieved through early energy modeling, building orientation, exterior glass with low solar heat gain coefficient, an energy recovery ventilator and thermal storage system all contribute to improved energy performance. The project team used a “Teambuild” delivery method, which included collaboration between the owner, design team, and contractor from initial concept development through the end of design. The project team also considered the community, by working with Ferguson and the Newport News’ Economic Development Authority to develop 40 feet beyond the boundaries of the site to create a plaza for community use.

The FNB Tower in Raleigh, NC and the VA Outpatient Clinic in Chattanooga, TN were recognized as 2020 Green Globes Project of the Year Honorable Mentions. The mixed use and healthcare projects each certified under Green Globes for New Construction, earning Three and Two Green Globes, respectively.

GBI congratulates NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Building 4221, the Ferguson Enterprises Headquarters building and the Honorable Mentions the VA Outpatient Clinic in Chattanooga, TN and the FNB Tower Raleigh, NC. GBI applauds all Green Globes certified buildings and appreciates projects submitted for the 2020 Green Globes Project of the Year Award.