The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) presented the 2021 Climate and Energy Leadership Awards to Arlington County for its Lubber Run Community Center Project and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) for its Energy Solution for Platforms Improvement Project. These projects were recognized for contributing to COG’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and advancing equity across the region by prioritizing historically underserved populations in the planning of their programs.

The awards were announced yesterday at the October COG Board of Directors meeting by COG Climate, Energy, and Environment Policy Committee Chair and Prince George’s County Council Member Deni Taveras and COG Air and Climate Public Advisory Committee Vice Chair Tara Failey.

“We are proud of the work that our local partners are doing to combat climate change in the region,” said Taveras. “Efforts like these make our regional goal of achieving a 50 percent reduction in GHG emissions below 2005 emission levels by 2030 more tangible.”

Award acceptance speeches by Paul Wiedefeld (WMATA) and Christian Dorsey (Arlington County)

Learn more about the award recipients and their innovative programs below:

Arlington County’s Lubber Run Community Center Project

Exterior Rendering of the Lubber Run Community Center

Arlington County’s Lubber Run Community Center was completed in 2020 and is the county’s first net-zero energy building, in addition to Arlington County Public Schools’ three net-zero energy schools. What was once the oldest community center in Arlington, will now be a 50,000 square foot center whose design was driven by the zero-energy goal of maximizing space for the on-site solar array, while optimizing the building’s energy performance. The Lubber Run Community Center is a keystone of the ethnically and economically diverse Buckingham and Arlington Forest neighborhoods of Arlington. The project design team applied a broad approach to gathering cross-generational voices that informed the design of numerous blended concepts. The center will provide programs for youth, adults, and seniors including a preschool, senior center, gymnasium, fitness center, and multi-purpose rooms for recreation programming and community use. The Lubber Run Community Center is targeted for US Green Building Council’s LEED Silver certification.

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) Energy Solution Platform Improvement Project

Platform Shelter at Falls Church Metro station (WMATA)

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) Energy Solution Platform Improvement Project is a multi-year rehabilitation project to make outdoor Metro stations safer and more accessible to customers. Key renovations include slip-resistant tiles throughout the station, brighter energy-efficient LED lighting, and new stainless steel platform shelters that will include charging ports, larger digital screens, and safety call buttons with direct access to station managers. With the large number of capital improvement projects underway, WMATA wanted to reduce energy use during construction by rethinking how electricity was distributed during station shutdowns. Using WMATA’s Public Participation Plan guidance, the Platform Improvement Project prioritized inclusivity while engaging surrounding communities impacted by construction and platform shutdowns by ensuring that 50 percent of the outreach staff was bilingual, using large, scannable QR codes, and providing handout materials available in Spanish. The project team designed a new temporary distribution panel, taking advantage of existing electricity sources or feeds that reduced energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions. Due to the success of implementation, the new power distribution panel will be used for all Platform Improvement Projects.

MORE: COG's Climate and Energy Leadership Awards