Suitland Collections Center Masterplan

Atelier Ten determined the benefits and performance of various environmental design strategies for the Suitland Collections Center facilities. The concepts provide critical guidance on sustainability issues and ensure compliance and thinking beyond the current environmental mandates.

Atelier Ten implemented passive energy strategies including well insulated high-performance building enclosures along with grouping collections by space conditioning criteria to save energy while providing optimum environmental conditions. Additionally, an all-electric heating and cooling system including ground source heat pumps and heat recovery chillers with thermal storage, in lieu of fossil fuel based heating systems, will be considered. Installing photovoltaic panels on collections storage roofs will provide on-site renewable energy.

To ensure resiliency, Atelier Ten recommended automatic generators, on-site photovoltaics, battery storage and water reuse systems. Green roofs on non-collections buildings will mitigate heat island effects and absorb rainfall; bioswales and retention ponds will retain and treat runoff; select parking lots and paths will be paved with porous materials; and rainwater will be harvested for irrigation, flushing and boiler make-up.