NASA Ames Sustainability Base, Building N232

AECOM worked with design architect William McDonough + Partners, guiding NASA to achieve a LEED platinum rating for the new N232 office building. The 50,000-square-foot, two-story facility, known as Sustainability Base, officially opened April 20, 2012.
When NASA planned to add the first new building in 20 years to the Ames Research Center, home to much of the agency’s most innovative technology, the goal was that the facility be an exemplar in sustainability. The result is a working environment that prioritizes user health and comfort with natural daylight, fresh air and temperature control while making minimal environmental impacts. Sustainability Base will save more than 60 percent of the energy and more than 80 percent of the water typically used by a facility of its type.

AECOM’s High-Performance Buildings group provided the innovative engineering

behind this model facility. An onsite fuel cell, roof-mounted photovoltaic solar panels, a geothermal heat pump, passive and low-energy HVAC systems, and intelligent building controls that interact with users are among the building’s advanced engineering features.
AECOM served as architect of record, engineer of record and landscape architect of record for the project, while William McDonough + Partners led the design vision and sustainability goals for the project. The team also included Loisos Ubbelohde (lighting consultant), Siteworks Studio (landscape design), and MBDC (materials assessment).
Awards

• San Jose Journal 2010 Green Building of the Year
• U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) 2010 Real Property Award in the category of Green Innovation
• Nominee, 2010 Presidential GreenGov Award
• Nominee, 2011 Presidential GreenGov award