Sustainability & LEED Certification

CRGA demonstrates a commitment to sustainability throughout all of our projects. Environmentally responsible design is one of the distinguishing components of our firm; we believe that we have a responsibility to leave our planet better than we found it. The vast majority our team members are LEED Accredited professionals, and we support and encourage new staff members in obtaining their certification. While not all of our clients choose to apply for LEED Certification, we design all of our projects, and our own office, utilizing sustainable practices.

Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center

Our firm had the privilege of designing the first LEED Gold Certified hospital in the state of Maryland – Anne Arundel Medical Center. The project incorporated several sustainable features including two green roofs, rain gardens, step ponds and retaining walls to protect the Chesapeake Bay, and several details that increased efficiency and reduced waste. This facility won the Maryland Trailblazer Award for the commitment to pollution prevention and a demonstration of environmental leadership and was recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council as “LEEDing the Way for Healthcare.” Learn more about this project here.

J. Kent McNew Family Medical Center

Anne Arundel Medical Center’s new Mental Health Hospital is a place to heal, develop and thrive, and the inclusion of sustainable design elements helps their patients, families and staff do just that. The grand opening of this facility was in March, 2020, and the building has been designed to achieve LEED Gold. Learn more about this project here.

Some of the key sustainable design elements implemented in this building include:

• Water conservation including low flow sinks, toilets and shower heads

• Low VOC paints and interior materials with low odor and low emission for improved indoor air quality

• Recycled and regional materials including carpet tile, ceiling tiles and steel

• FSC certified wood products for all interior wood doors and architectural elements

• Community connectivity to the surrounding city with access to public transportation and amenities

• Bicycle storage and changing rooms to encourage staff to ride their bikes to work

• Water efficient landscaping including landscaping indigenous to the area that does not require permanent site irrigation

• Efficient LED lighting throughout the building that is more energy efficient and does not contain mercury

• Furniture with recycled and sustainable components

• Sustainable cleaning protocols that minimize impacts on the environment and are low odor for improved indoor air quality

Armed Forces Retirement Home

The Armed Forces Retirement Home New Commons and Healthcare Center, the Scott Building project in Washington, DC, achieved LEED Platinum certification in January 2015. This is the highest level of achievement for sustainable projects and CRGA was thrilled to create a design that not only offers a state-of-the-art quality healthcare but also promotes sustainability. This innovative energy-efficient building replaced the previous high-maintenance, costly structure, allowing its Long-Term Care and Memory Support residents to remain near their friends in the Independent Living and Assisted Living facilities.

The facility was engineered “green” from the ground up to reduce its environmental footprint. To start, approximately 90 percent of its foundation was composed of recycled materials from the demolition of the former Scott Building. Sustainability, minimizing future utility costs, use of quality materials to reduce maintenance costs, and comfort level of our veterans, were the guiding principles for the design of the project. Learn more about this project here.

Kennedy Krieger Institute

CRGA has a long-term working relationship with the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore City.  We are currently working with them in connection with a number of projects including the development of a new facility recently constructed at the intersection of North Broadway and Ashland Street in Baltimore City.  CRGA is responsible for developing both the space program as well as the design of the building shell and interior spaces.  The building will house a number of different pediatric mental/behavioral health programs.  This new building achieved LEED Silver.  Learn more about this project here.

United States Naval Institute

The United States Naval Institute is a non-profit organization located on the grounds of the United States Naval Academy.  Their mission is to create a forum for the dissemination of information and open-thought that furthers the advancement of the sea power services (Navy, Coast Guard and Marines).  Their headquarters is in a building that was originally constructed as a naval hospital.  Approximately fifteen years ago, CRGA designed an adaptive reuse of the original building, converting it to office use. Several years ago, our firm was again retained by the Institute to develop a design for a conference center at this headquarters building.  Major constraints including a historic easement on two of the buildings four facades and limited adjacent property created challenges.

Our solution involved the design of a curved addition, constructed partially below grade to minimize the impact to the existing building.  A series of garden walls and green roofs further soften the impact of this addition.  A large roof-top terrace above the auditorium was also created for outdoor receptions.  This terrace can also be enclosed during very hot and cold times of the year with a temporary, heated and cooled structure. With this design, we have achieved LEED Silver Certification. Learn more about this project here.

University of Maryland Medical Center

CRGA Design completed the design of a newly constructed ten-story Patient Care Center, located on the Midtown Campus of the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. Occupiable space within the building includes a lower level, a first floor, and four upper floors. The project also included five levels of parking incorporated into the building as well. The occupied areas of the building total 172,000 square feet and the parking levels total 102,000 square feet. The building has a green roof and has achieved a LEED Silver certification.

The comprehensive services provided by our team began with an analysis of the campus, identifying options for the siting of this building. The relationship of this building to the hospital was a critical consideration. It was ultimately decided to locate this building immediately adjacent to the campus’ main parking structure. This allowed five floors of additional parking to be sandwiched between occupiable floors in an efficient manner.

The lower level houses a community health clinic, a conference/education center, and mechanical / electrical spaces. In addition to the main building entrance and lobby, Level One has been designed to house an ambulatory surgery center. Car parking is located on Levels Two through Six. An infectious disease clinic is located on Level Seven, a diabetes/ endocrinology clinic is located on Level Eight, and cardiology and pulmonology clinics are located on Level Nine. The tenth level houses a phlebotomy lab with multiple draw areas and a process lab as well as a primary care practice. This practice is designed to support primary care patients with 23 exam rooms, point of care testing and ancillary support space. The practice is resident based and has space for residents to work and be observed. Support services such as social work, behavioral health and pharmacy are also supported within the suite to provide a continuum of care for patients in one centralized location.

Clinical spaces located on floors 7 thru 9, utilize a hybrid on-stage/off-stage model, which separates patient and staff flows. This model fosters patient privacy and facilitates team-based delivery of care by the clinical staff. Learn more about this project here.