SDC deepened its expertise in green building certifications and LEED specifically, delivering both the first and second LEED Platinum-level certified projects to Virginia! First came the VCU Walter L. Rice Educational Center – the flagship building at the Rice Rivers Center in Charles City County, VCU’s field station for environmental research, teaching, and public service. Designed by Train Architects, the 4,889 sf Education Center site showcases innovative stormwater technologies such as rain gardens, swales, and stormwater re-use. Also featured are a ground source heat pump system, radiant flooring, operable windows, and photovoltaic panels to provide electricity to the building. Shortly thereafter, Ft. Belvoir’s Fairfax Village Neighborhood Center, part of a 13-acre master planned military housing development, attained LEED Platinum certification as well! Designed by Torti Gallas + Partners, the 3,770 sf neighborhood center provides its community offices, a reception desk, a great room for social functions, conference room, kitchen, restrooms, foyer, maintenance shed, patio/courtyard, playground, and parking. Its site preserves double the development footprint with vegetated open space and hosts an educational butterfly garden as well as rain gardens. It also features pervious concrete, while impervious paving is shaded. The building achieved exemplary energy performance with 59.4% use reduction and 22.6% on-site renewable energy generation. We have very fond memories of working with all team members for these small but mighty super-green buildings!