Amazon’s second headquarters receives top LEED rating
The Amazon "HQ2" complex in Arlington, Va. is receiving high honors for its sustainability.
Amazon HQ2, which opened Phase I with workspace for 14,000 employees in June 2023, has been awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum Certification, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
LEED is a global green building rating system in the world and guides design, construction and operations practices intended to improve environmental and human health. The HQ2 complex is the largest newly-constructed LEED v4 Platinum building in the world.
In 2018, Amazon announced it would spend more than $2.5 billion to build a second headquarters in Arlington, Va. In 2021, the company unveiled plans for phase one of the project, known as Metropolitan Park, or “Met Park.” In 2022, the Arlington County Board gave unanimous approval to Amazon's plans to build 350-ft. office tower, called “The Helix,” as well as several other office towers and park space, as part of phase one.
The first phase of the new campus opened in June 2023, but Amazon is reportedly delaying groundbreaking on the second phase in a cost-cutting move.
The new HQ2 complex is 100% powered by renewable energy, offering what Amazon says is 24% overall energy savings relative to a comparable new office building, or enough electricity to power 572 homes in the U.S. every year.
Amazon also achieved a 20% reduction in the carbon footprint of HQ2’s concrete structures compared to the industry baseline, which it says saved over 14,700 metric tons of carbon, or the equivalent of taking more than 3,200 cars off the road in the U.S. for an entire year.
Other highlights include:
- 100% powered by renewable electricity procured from a solar farm in Virginia.
- Technology to reclaim and recycle water for elements like cooling towers, landscape irrigation and flushing fixtures.
- Two acres (or 90,000 square feet) of landscaped green roofs with native planting, offering the natural cooling functions of plants.
- 82% of all construction materials were diverted from landfills, including concrete, drywall, metals, wood, cardboard, and plastic. This process kept over 17,000 tons of material from entering landfills.
"Amazon’s HQ2 achieved LEED certification for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions in areas including sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. Through innovative design and sustainable practices, HQ2 serves as a blueprint for other projects," said Peter Templeton, president and CEO at USGBC. "Certification is proof that Amazon is going above and beyond to ensure its workspaces are constructed and operated to the highest level of sustainability."
"This development represents a meaningful step towards decarbonizing Amazon’s real estate portfolio in order to meet our Climate Pledge commitment to decarbonize our operations by 2040, a decade ahead of the Paris Climate Agreement," Amazon said in a corporate blog post.