Press Release | Jun 14, 2019
HITT and William McDonough + Partners Celebrate Co|Lab Opening
The new facility is a space for research and testing of emerging materials, approaches, and technology that will drive change within the built environment.
Falls Church, VA, June 14, 2019 – HITT Contracting Inc., a national general contractor, held a ceremony today to celebrate the opening of Co|Lab, a space dedicated to the research and testing of emerging materials, approaches, and technology that will rapidly transform the construction industry. Designed by William McDonough + Partners, the state-of-the-art facility features a Glu-lam and Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) structure, a roof canopy solar array, and healthy and sustainable material selections.
Co|Lab is a collaborative space bringing together the architecture, engineering and construction community to incubate innovative solutions to today’s complex building challenges. The design and construction of the new facility is the first step in illustrating that vision. The structure is the first CLT structure in Virginia and the first commercial mass timber building in the DC metro area. CLT is a composite wood product able to accommodate design flexibility while minimizing carbon footprint as compared to traditional steel and concrete structures. 100 percent of the wood in the building (except for the reclaimed maple and cherry harvested on site) is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified, a standard that ensures wood is harvested from responsibly managed forests.