RossTarrant Architects had run out of room to expand. When the firm made a 1950s-era building its new home, the potential for applying sustainable design practices to the renovation was obvious. RossTarrant Architects has since earned LEED Gold for its office-making it only the second LEED Gold project in the entire state.

Daylighting is a central element of the new design. Light sensors automatically reduce supplemental lighting as the interior spaces are bathed in natural sunlight. Tubular skylights carry sunlight into interior spaces. Motion sensors turn off lights in unused areas. More than 90 percent of regularly occupied workspaces offer views outside. Solar energy is even used to heat the building’s hot water.

Paints, caulks and other materials were carefully chosen to severely limit or eliminate the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) enabling the building to meet extremely rigorous standards for indoor air quality. Recycled, reused and locally-manufactured products were utilized throughout.

Features like comprehensive recycling, accommodations for bicycling, carpooling and mass transportation, ENERGY STAR appliances, and water saving fixtures further minimize the office's environmental footprint. The result is a building in which RossTarrant instantly felt at home.

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