NGA Campus East

Working in a joint venture, Clark built the 2.2 million square-foot main office building to accommodate 8,500 workers (as well as 25 percent population/mission growth), a technology center that includes a Tier III Enterprise data center, a 105,000 square-foot central utility plant, a 5,100-space parking garage, and a 7,300 square-foot visitor control center. The $1.46 billion project also required extensive infrastructure improvements, including nine lane-miles of roadway, several bridges, and miles of utilities.

The NGA Campus East project was delivered under the Defense Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) BRAC , this large and complex project was completed for USACE under the Integrated Design-Bid-Build (IDBB) delivery method, which allowed for early contractor involvement during the preconstruction phase. Clark reached substantial completion on NGA Campus East six months ahead of schedule.

From the beginning of the project, the client presented a clear objective: to reinforce and enhance the organization’s vision and to achieve a unifying, collaborative, and mission-focused cultural transformation. The resulting facility successfully integrates design, cultural values, and mission, while providing a collaborative and contemporary environment for employees and visitors. The new NGA headquarters not only visually links the organization but also realizes the client’s cultural and design visions, building a synergistic NGA workforce equipped for the future.

Partnering: The "One Team" Approach

The collaborative approach on the NGA Campus East project aligned 10 partners under "One Team" to accomplish a common goal: ensuring national security through fast-track, phased delivery of the project. The team's approach was recognized with a Marvin M. Black Excellence in Partnering Award, a prestigious award given to the nation's most successful construction partnerships.

BIM

When it began, NGA Campus East was the largest project in the United States to use BIM. For quality control, Clark prepared a special-purpose BIM model for clash detection and RFIs. The clash detection function was coordinated with the mechanical, electrical, and fire suppression subcontractors. To manage this unprecedented modeling endeavor, the team outlined expectations and assigned responsibilities for BIM from the project’s outset.

Sustainability

Inspired by NGA's motto, “Know the Earth, Show the Way, Understand the World,” sustainability became integral to the design and construction of NGA Campus East. Originally intended to achieve LEED Silver certification, the project team continually looked for ways to improve NGA Campus East’s sustainability and minimize its impact on the environment. Working alongside NGA, USACE, and RTKL-KlingStubbins, Clark created an exemplary plan that resulted in the project earning LEED Gold certification.

Clark incorporated new building materials—the ETFE roof and chilled beams—specifically because of the efficiency they brought to such a large-scale operation. Additional environmentally-friendly features also include a one-acre green roof and rainwater collection systems. Overall, NGA Campus East's sustainable elements will reduce the building's energy usage by 30% and water usage by 40%.