Featured Project Co|Lab Falls Church, Virginia Scroll To Back Scroll Intro By the Numbers Vision Elements Experience Testimonial Challenges Innovations Results Team Members News More Space for bringing ideas to life This sustainably designed two-floor, state-of-the-art mass timber facility is a dedicated space for HITT Contracting’s research and development (R&D) work. Location Falls Church, Virginia Client HITT Contracting Project Type Industrial Base Building Key Partners William McDonough + Partners Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Staengl Engineering Certifications LEED v4 Platinum IFLI Petal Certification Awards AIA DC, Partnership for the Planet Award, 2020 AIA DC, Chapter Design Award, Architecture, 2020 USGBC Innovative Project of the Year—Catalytic Design, 2020 U.S. WoodWorks Wood Design Award, Regional Excellence, 2020 CoreNet Mid-Atlantic, Awards of Excellence, Best New Workplace Solution— Technology & Innovation, 2020 Moxie Awards, Finalist, 2021 By the Numbers By the Numbers By the Numbers By the Numbers By the Numbers $8,600,000 CONTRACT VALUE 52 weeks SCHEDULE 8,600 SQUARE FEET 2019 YEAR COMPLETED 2,800+ SQUARE FOOT PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR ARRAY Vision Vision Vision Vision Vision The two-story, mass timber building is HITT Contracting’s dedicated space for R&D. Client Goals HITT wanted to push construction and design boundaries to create a cutting-edge facility that is a hub for inspiration, research, and testing to positively impact the construction and real estate industries. Design Vision Designed for net zero energy as a flexible, high-performance building, Co|Lab puts environmental health and occupant well-being at the forefront. Designated spaces were created to construct full-scale spatial and building mock-ups for testing of products and approaches. Construction Focus HITT tested new ways of building. The prefabricated mass timber structure was installed by eight people in nine working days, and it can be disassembled. The facility was also built to rigorous standards with healthy, IFLI red-list-chemical-free materials. Elements Elements Elements Elements Elements Cross-laminated Timber Structure A critical sustainable feature includes using cross-laminated timber (CLT), a composite wood product that offers design flexibility while minimizing carbon footprint. All wood (except for reclaimed maple and cherry harvested on-site) is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified, which ensures harvesting from responsibly managed forests. Energy-efficient Design Many elements work together to optimize building performance. A 2,800-sf rooftop photovoltaic solar array provides the building’s annual power usage. MEP design includes variable refrigerant flow HVAC systems, a modern version of a traditional heat pump system. The facility also houses water-based radiant heat flooring, a hydronic system that recirculates under and through flooring for efficient warmth. A hot water system that leverages electrical energy from the solar array provides cost-effective hot water and heat year-round. The HITT Experience The HITT Experience The HITT Experience The HITT Experience The HITT Experience HITT’s leadership had a bold strategic vision in mind when designing Co|Lab as a high-performance, first-of-its-kind building for the company and in the commonwealth of Virginia. Through close collaboration and planning with partners in architecture, engineering, virtual construction, and trades, the HITT team delivered the project to its exact specifications, leading the way for future cross-laminated timber projects and the use of more efficient and sustainable construction methods for clients. THE HITT EXPERIENCE There is no doubt that the construction industry and commercial real estate are ripe for disruption. We wanted to create a space where education and research would be key components of the facility. It gave us an opportunity to use the building as an experiment and test things before we engage in research and development with our customers. As a company, we’re committed to sustainable construction practices, so building our own building was an opportunity to showcase that commitment. KIM ROY CEO, HITT Contracting Challenge | Solutions Challenge | Solutions Challenge | Solutions Challenge | Solutions Challenge | Solutions Unique Challenges, Smart Solutions Ambitious projects require carefully constructed solutions Challenge #1 As the first project of its kind in Virginia, Fairfax County initially had many questions about the project in the early stages. Solution HITT worked closely with Fairfax County officials to share all construction practices, new rating systems, new approaches, and the infusion of technology with the project to acquire the proper building permits. Challenge #2 To achieve the ILFI Materials Petal, the building process included a rewarding, yet arduous, process of proving out material health at a chemical level of each building product by using no IFLI “red list” materials. Solution HITT learned that there is an opportunity for market education around material ingredient lists and enjoyed partnering with subcontractors and manufacturers to prove this information—even adding extra resources to the team in order to achieve this. Challenge #3 The mass timber supply chain is still nascent, so there are limited suppliers and installers within the United States. Solution HITT partnered with a targeted erector to construct the building and has since focused on training and educating other potential erectors for future projects throughout the U.S. Preconstruction Planning As CLT is a manufactured wood product, if something is wrong in the shop-drawing process, it’s not always fixable once in the field. Co|Lab required significant preconstruction processes with emphasis put on the modeling of the building through intense drawing review and field verification of every element to ensure the building was erected as efficiently as possible. Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) Prefabricated CLT panels and beams were designed off-site, transported to the jobsite, erected into place, and secured with a just-in-time sequencing method that uses only bolted connections. This reduced the number of tasks that must be performed on-site. The technique also allows for disassembly so that the mass timber elements can be reused or recycled. The Results The exterior of Co|Lab and its eye-catching 235 sf green wall. The building has collaboration rooms designed for educational events, working sessions, and meetings that overlook the project bays. The building has bays that allow testing of materials, methods, performance, and technology, and enough room for large R&D project mock-ups. Co|Lab’s rooftop, which houses more than 2,800-sf of solar panels. Key Team Members Key Team Members Key Team Members Key Team Members Key Team Members Key Team Members Kim Roy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Josh Foreso Executive Vice President Washington, DC Megan Lantz Vice President, Research & Development Washington, DC News News News News News News View All News & Events HITT Masters Series: Robotics in Construction – Challenges & Opportunities Ahead What will it take for robotics to make an impact in the construction field? Explore the unique challenges and opportunities ... Insights R&D Microlearning: Prefabrication Hear from HITT Research & Development Manager Mariela Chagas, our prefabrication lead, as she dives into this week’s microlearning on ... Related Related Related Related Related You might be interested in… R&D Overview R&D – Projects Let's chat. Work With HITT Learn More
