New Headquarters Building Reflects NWF's Mission - National Wildlife Federation, Reston, Virginia - Brief Article

National Wildlife, April-May, 2001

Daylight streams in through north-facing windows. The forested parkland they overlook instantly connects people inside with the natural world just beyond the glass. On the south exterior, a huge trellis stands poised to support native vines. Most of the year their leaves will shade the building from hot sun; in winter, the leafless vines will let more heat pass. The result: a year-round cut in energy consumption and costs, all produced by what amounts to a spectacular vertical habitat for birds and insects.

Inside, a spacious, open floor plan lets daylight filter to almost every corner. A sophisticated distance learning facility graces the Jay D. Hair Education Center, from which NWF Internet programming will provide interactive conservation education to adults and children worldwide.

This is just a taste of NWF's newly completed headquarters in the planned community of Reston, Virginia, near Washington, D.C. Staffers moved in over the winter and dedication ceremonies are on April 6.

Though suburban, the building's location promotes walking, cycling and the use of current bus and future rail transportation. A wildlife pond and native landscaping will add yet another certified Backyard Wildlife Habitat[ordinal indicator, feminine] site to an area that has made NWF's gardening for wildlife initiative a true community affair. (See below.)

Even the local watershed benefits from NWF's arrival. Rainwater that once ran uncontrolled off nearby lots, causing erosion and washing pollutants into waterways, will now flow into two bio-retention ponds. These artificial wetlands capture and naturally cleanse the water, releasing it gradually to make its way through local streams to the Chesapeake Bay.

Headquarters energy systems were chosen for maximal efficiency at a reasonable price. Doors and building accents are constructed from wood grown in forests certified for sustainable management. Even the carpeting is environmentally friendly.

"This was about more than building a great new home," says NWF President Mark Van Putten. "It's meant to send a message about what the National Wildlife Federation stands for and to provide a model of what any organization can achieve if it builds with the health of the environment and with a lot of common sense in mind."

NWF chose building features that struck a sensible balance between cost-effectiveness and environmental friendliness. Along with the use of creative environmental elements, such as the trellis, these choices will pay for themselves over a short period. "We're really engaging in conservation education here," adds Van Putten. "We're teaching businesses and organizations everywhere that they can meet their facilities' needs, benefit the environment and still maintain their bottom lines."

As for NWF's bottom line, the new, efficient headquarters will mean a savings of nearly $900,000 every year-dollars that can go directly to conservation education and advocacy.