Sustainable Design Consulting
The Fort at Williams College has now attained both LEED Gold-level AND LBC Petal certifications! Designed by MCWB Architects and built by A/Z Corporation, the 12,875 sf renovated building houses graduate students in Fine Arts. Championing low energy use intensity and non-toxic materials, it takes campus sustainability to new heights.
The Bank Building at 699 14th Street NW in DC has now attained both LEED for Core & Shell Gold-level AND Fitwel certifications! This new 143,700 sf, 11-story office building and historic bank building renovation were developed by Lincoln Property Company and designed by Shalom Baranes Associates. Congratulations to all involved!
SDC’s Washington Office has now been recognized under U.S. EPA’s new ENERGY STAR® Tenant Space program! Our office space’s lighting system has been verified to be about 25% more efficient than lighting found in typical offices. We’re doing our part to save energy and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions from our DC location.
We’re thrilled to announce LEED Platinum certification for DC’s new Southwest Library! This ‘pavilion in a park’ emphasizes connection to the natural environment and embraces passive site design. Its unique roof structure significantly reduced the project’s construction waste on-site, while supporting both vegetation and a photovoltaic array.
SDC is now recognized as an ENERGY STAR Partner: Commercial & Industrial Service & Product Provider! As such, we provide services that directly aid in improving the energy efficiency of our customer's buildings, plants, or operations – most recently by successfully managing the ENERGY STAR certification for 1875 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.
Earlier this year, the Women in Sustainability Leadership Awards (WSLA) were acquired from gb&d magazine by the newly formed WSLA Alumnae Group, which has now teamed up with GreenBiz Group as its media partner! Sandra Leibowitz, a 2017 WSLA alumna, serves as Treasurer for this new not-for-profit organization moving into 2021.
The 6th Edition of Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) has now been published by the CDC with the NIH and includes a new Sustainability Appendix co-authored by former SDCer Elizabeth Floyd and Steven Piguet! See more information about this important guidance document and download a free copy here.
2100 L Street NW in downtown DC is now LEED for Core & Shell Platinum-level certified! Developed by Akridge and designed by WDG Architecture, this ~190,000 sf, 10-story, Class A office building shines in its smart location, within walking distance of our own DC office and USGBC's Headquarters. Read more about this striking property here.
We’re now thrilled to announce LEED Platinum certification for Hub Pavilion, Weil Hall, and Welcome Center at Washington University in St. Louis! These new buildings, designed by KieranTimberlake, complete the Danforth Campus east end development for which SDC has provided LEED services – learn more about their story here.
A Midsummer Night’s Green was held virtually this year, and therein USGBC National Capital Region chapter honored SDC with its prestigious Leadership in Sustainable Business Practices, Small Business award! Reserved for “organizations in our region that ‘walk the walk’ when it comes to innovative or influential sustainability strategies”, SDC was recognized as “early adopters and champions of LEED in its many forms.”
We’re thrilled to announce LEED Platinum certification for Jubel Hall at Washington University in St. Louis! This new building, designed by Moore Ruble Yudell, is one of four with a shared master site for which SDC has provided LEED services. See Architect’s February feature story, covering the overall campus and individual building projects!
Like you, SDC has had to adapt expeditiously to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts. Staff are largely teleworking, and can be reached by email, as we strive to maintain service to our clients. To further assist during this trying time, we have developed a coronavirus office cleaning resource, for your use as well as our own.
This year, SDC expands its contribution to sustainability advocacy efforts across our region. As part of this effort, Kara Strong now sits on the DMV Net Zero Energy (NZE) Coalition's Executive Committee and has joined USGBC National Capital Region (NCR) Chapter's Montgomery County Committee, providing SDC's input into these two important DC-area
GBCI has announced its 2019 class of LEED Fellows, and SDC’s Avneet Gujral is among them! This annual recognition of outstanding LEED professionals within the green building community is the most prestigious credential awarded by GBCI. SDC congratulates our own Avneet for joining the 2019 class of LEED Fellows!
After 11 years of service to SDC as manager of DC office operations, Steven Piguet transitions to part-time consultant status as Director of Special Programs, focusing on business development, marketing, human resources, administrative functions and Fitwel process management. Managing Principal Sandra Leibowitz resumes responsibility
Two years ago, SDC first pursued labeling under version 1.0 of JUST, the International Living Future Institute’s social justice transparency platform. The JUST program serves as both a voluntary disclosure tool and a "nutrition label" for socially just and equitable organizations. SDC has now attained JUST v2.0 labeling, reflecting the program’s updated criteria and SDC’s.
Designed by Hickok Cole Architects and developed by Akridge and Alcion Ventures, 1701 Rhode Island Avenue NW is SDC’s 20th LEED Platinum certification! The original downtown DC structure was transformed into a boutique office building, with a naturally-lit fitness center, penthouse conference facility and landscaped roof terraces.
SDC was thrilled that the renovation of and addition to Powell Elementary School won both this year's AIA|DC Design Awards for Architecture AND Sustainable Design! Congratulations to DC Public Schools, iSTUDIO and the entire team on such wonderful accolades for such a wonderful green building project.
VCU’s Walter L. Rice Education Building was honored with both the Green Building Legacy Award and the People’s Choice Award at the USGBC Virginia Leadership Awards Celebration! This unique project was the first in Virginia to achieve LEED Platinum-level certification and has continued to exemplify regional green building for the past ten years.
SDC as a firm was honored by Viridiant as the recipient of its 2019 Visionary Award! Given only to those showing “outstanding leadership in sustainable buildings/ communities,” the award recognizes excellence in Energy Efficiency, Integrated Design, Resource Efficiency/Conservation, Resiliency, Innovation
When SDC moved its Washington office, we wanted a green and healthy workplace for ourselves too. Combining existing materials and furniture reuse, low-VOC and recycled-content new finishes, operable windows, occupant control of HVAC units and energy efficient lighting, appliances and equipment, our office has now achieved LEED-CI Silver!
Avneet Gujral has begun a two-year term of service on USGBC National Capital Region’s (NCR)’s Market Leadership Advisory Board! Working closely with local USGBC staff, this DC-area group directs strategic programs, provides market analysis, advises on annual planning, and fosters the development and implementation of volunteer initiatives.
SDC’s Founder, Owner and Managing Principal, Sandra Leibowitz, has been honored with Green Building & Design Magazine’s 2017 Women in Sustainability Leadership Award! This prestigious program, now in its fourth year, included presentation of the awards to the 2017 recipients at a celebratory dinner held in Boston in conjunction with Greenbuild.
SDC proudly celebrates 15 amazing years in business! To commemorate the occasion, we bring you our first ever team anniversary video, filled with our thanks to YOU – our clients, our project teams, our service providers, our fellow green building advocates and more – for your part in our exciting 15-year history. Watch it now!
