The U.S. DOT Volpe Center's new building has been recognized for its high performance in resiliency and sustainability with a LEED Platinum certification, the highest mark of excellence for sustainability as awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council. 

Conceived as a vertical campus, the project brings the entirety of the U.S. DOT Volpe Center under a single roof. In response to cooler climate and limited year-round sunlight in Cambridge, MA, the facade and orientation play a major role in helping the building achieve its LEED Platinum certification. In collaboration with Atelier Ten, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, along with our Volpe Property Exchange Partners—General Services Administration and Massachusetts Institute of Technology—engineered a structure with an orientation that fully maximizes daylight and a glass and aluminum facade that minimizes glare, all with triple-glazing and an overall window-wall ratio of 48 percent that further contribute to the building’s exceptional energy performance.  

This holistic approach to energy-efficient and sustainable design achieves regulated energy savings, while optimizing electrification and responsible water management. 

For more about the sustainability and design of the U.S. DOT Volpe Center building, please visit our architect’s page: https://www.som.com/projects/john-a-volpe-national-transportation-systems-center/.  

Learn more about the U.S. DOT Volpe Center’s features at our website: https://www.volpe.dot.gov/news/introducing-new-era-transportation-innovation.  

About the U.S. DOT Volpe Center

Celebrating more than 50 years of federal service to the nation, the U.S. DOT Volpe Center’s mission is to transform transportation for all.

We're Hiring: Learn more about our open job opportunities, our commitment to equity, and what it’s like to work at the U.S. DOT Volpe Center.