Sustainable Practices Underscore MITRE's Commitment to Green Building

September 2010

While MITRE is encouraging employees to turn out the lights and take other measures to conserve power as part of this summer's Energy Wise campaign, MITRE itself continues to implement sustainable practices in its real estate program, placing emphasis on green building standards. With the design of a new lab building in Bedford, Mass. and the MITRE 4 building in McLean, Va., currently underway, one of the most frequently asked questions is whether the buildings will be LEED Certified.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized green building certification system that scores projects according to their performance in a number of sustainability-related categories: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources, and sensitivity to their impacts. LEED Certification substantiates that a building has been designed and built employing environmentally sensitive strategies.

A view of the new Bedford Lab Building's south elevation.

The MITRE Center in Bedford was one of the first LEED Silver Certified buildings in Massachusetts. Earning its Silver LEED ranking in 2005, this building incorporates features that minimize environmental impact. An entrance canopy with 1,200 sq. ft. of embedded photovoltaic solar panels generates electricity that blends with the building's power supply. In addition, a 1,700 sq. ft. array of solar panels deployed on the roof generates 16,900 kilowatt hours of electricity annually.

Incorporating LEED strategies

Going forward, MITRE is incorporating LEED strategies into the design of upcoming construction projects, including the new lab building in Bedford. This project will achieve a LEED silver rating with a stretch goal of a LEED gold rating. For the proposed MITRE 4 building in McLean, Va., MITRE has pledged to Fairfax County to build to a LEED Silver rating. As the organization demonstrates its dedication to green building, so do members of its Facilities staff, several of whom have earned LEED accreditation.

Jessica Burdin, a project manager in MITRE's Corporate Real Estate Office, is among a growing number of MITRE employees to achieve the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accreditation through the US Green Building Council. Bringing a fresh understanding of green building, she is helping MITRE integrate sustainable strategies into the design and construction of its real estate portfolio, extending from the campuses to the site locations.

"By including green elements within the design and construction of our sites in Quantico, Va., and Aberdeen and Ft. Meade, Md., which all have LEED Silver Certified base buildings, MITRE's green approach has a positive impact on our health, economy, and natural environment," she said.

Carole Horne, manager of the MITRE Corporate Real Estate Office, points out that MITRE's commitment to sustainability is not completely altruistic. The benefit to MITRE is that it maximizes efficiencies, reduces consumption, and improves conservation of water, energy, and waste, all of which contribute to cost containment. As a result, the company continues to invest in energy-saving technologies such as energy management systems that automate efficiencies such as reducing heating/air conditioning or light levels during nights and weekends.

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