The university’s downtown residential building at 55 H St. NW has won a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Homes Award in the Outstanding Multifamily Project Category.
The annual awards recognize LEED-certified residential projects that are impacting communities through sustainable and energy-efficient designs. 55 H St. NW was one of five projects awarded this recognition in the world.
“The LEED award demonstrates the university’s dedication to advancing sustainable efforts across our University,” said David Green, Chief Operating Officer at Georgetown. “This major achievement is representative of Georgetown’s commitment to creating sustainably responsible buildings for our community, and we look forward to continuing this good work.”
In June 2023, 55 H St. NW earned a LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, the first building at Georgetown to achieve the highest LEED certification among the university’s eight other LEED-certified buildings.
Completed in 2022, 55 H St. NW was developed by the university in collaboration with American Campus Communities (ACC), the nation’s largest student housing company.
Located in the heart of Washington, DC, the Capitol Campus residence at 55 H St. NW provides unparalleled access to the best of DC’s cultural and social life, work opportunities and historic monuments. The building features modern living spaces, a fitness center, a contemplation space and other common areas for students to live, study and work.
The building’s innovative spaces, design and features put sustainability at the forefront. Chief among the building’s eco-friendly features is its use of a new concrete technology that leads to a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional concrete.
Solar panels also line the building’s green roof and the front-facing side of the building, a visible commitment to sustainability for the passersby to see. The building is powered by clean electricity that does not rely on fossil fuels.
55 H St. NW also features sun shades and high-performance glass windows that change tint depending on the intensity of sunlight, keeping temperatures inside the building down during the warmer months of the year and reducing overall energy consumption. Upon entering the building, students also encounter a green wall adorned with living plants and have access to a large outdoor courtyard.
This is Georgetown’s first LEED Homes Award, and since 2013, the university has committed all of its new building projects to achieve at least a LEED Silver certification.