| October 15, 2008 |  |
UCS Dedicates New Office, Announces Green Design Award, and Hosts Reception for "Earth in the Balance" Art Show
K Street office earns gold LEED certification; exhibit features 16 D.C.-area artists, photgraphers
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), a leading national science-based policy organization, will host a multipurpose reception this evening at its new office at 1825 K St. NW in Washington. The group will officially dedicate its new space, announce that it won a major architectural award for interior redesign, and showcase the work of 16 Washington area artists and photographers in a year-long exhibit titled "Earth in the Balance."
UCS, which was founded by faculty and students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1969, has had an office in Washington since the mid-1970s. The group is headquartered in Cambridge and also has offices in Berkeley and Chicago.
UCS President Kevin Knobloch and other top officials will be in attendance tonight to announce that UCS's office redesign received a Gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) award for commercial interiors, the second highest award from the U.S. Green Building Council.
"Our Cambridge headquarters is a model for energy efficiency and we wanted to make sure our new Washington office is as environmentally friendly," Knobloch said. "We also wanted to be fiscally responsible, and given that many LEED requirements carry a hefty price tag, we were aiming for a Silver LEED certification. But with the help of our talented administrative staff, our designers and builders, and the cooperation of our landlord, we won the Gold."
Knobloch specifically thanked OTJ Architects, the project designer; PCM Construction, the general contractor; Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, the relocation and build-out coordinator; GreenShape, UCS's LEED adviser; and the Cafritz Company, the building's owner.
LEED specifications are used to assess how "green" a build-out truly is, rating such factors as the reuse of materials from the previous tenant, the use of recycled materials, waste recycling, HVAC and lighting systems, and proximity to public transportation. LEED-certified projects, which use resources more efficiently than conventional projects, provide healthier work and living environments, contributing to higher productivity and improved employee health and comfort. (For more information, go to: www.usgbc.org.)
To put the finishing touches on the award-winning interior design, UCS issued a call for entries to artists and photographers in the Washington, D.C., area to grace its new office walls with relevant artwork. A three-person jury -- UCS board member and artist Ellyn Weiss, UCS Media Director and artist Elliott Negin, and former Washington Post Art Director Michael Keegan -- reviewed more than 100 entries and selected the 16 that best represented the show's theme.
"We had a very tough time picking the finalists from so many excellent pieces," said Negin. "We want to thank everyone who participated, and congratulations to the 16 who made the final cut. We're proud to feature their work."
The artists and photographers in the exhibit are: Barb Bancroft, Chuck Baxter, Jennifer Coster, Betsy Damos, Anna Fine Foer, Jenny Freestone, Pat Goslee, Linda Hesh, Elizabeth Featherstone Hoff, Leila Holtsman, Rosemary Luckett, Carol Lukitsch, Gregory McLellan, Dominie Nash, Mark Parascandola and Hara Woltz. All of the works are for sale, and all the proceeds will go to the artists.
The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.
