The new Northwest Child Care Center located on NIH’s Bethesda campus recently attained a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification. The new child care center opened June 2017.
A LEED certification is one of the most popular green building certification programs used worldwide. A LEED certification is also an official recognition that a construction project meets specific requirements within the LEED rating systems (established and maintained by the U.S. Green Building Council – USGBC). There are four levels of LEED certification – Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. A LEED building speaks to the effort and dedication of everyone involved in the planning of the new child care center to provide a safe and healthy environment for the children.
Incorporating environment-friendly measures is a more standard practice when constructing new government facilities. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services h
as standard environmental, security and licensing requirements that all new government facilities are to abide by. However, this particular building was more challenging than usual to meet LEED and security requirements because it was a facility primarily designed with young children in mind. Standard energy and/or water efficient features for motion-activated sinks, toilets and rooms could not be automatically implemented for potty-training children.
The new child care center is approximately 21,000 square feet and has helped to double the capacity of childcare on NIH’s campus. The child care center has a capacity of 170 children between the ages of six weeks and six years of age. This new facility offers three separate playgrounds created to meet the developmental needs of three different age groups and incorporates storm water management measures with pervious sidewalks, playground material and pavement. The facility also incorporates a green roof, renewable floor surfacing materials, energy star appliances, a stroller closet and a staff lounge.
For more information about the Northwest Child Care Center, please call the NIH Child and Family Programs office at (301) 402-8180.
