HITT Contracting’s new headquarters is more than a workplace—it is a living laboratory for the future of the built environment. Designed in partnership with Gensler, the six-story, 270,000-square-foot building anchors a vibrant live/work/play district near the West Falls Church Metro. Purposefully relocating from a car-centric site, HITT embraced a transit-oriented setting rooted in community access, sustainability, and human-centered design. 

The building itself operates as a full-scale proving ground. A 115,000-square-foot solar canopy—hovering above sculptural steel “tree” columns—filters sun and rain while supporting Net-Zero energy performance. Its innovative HyperWall prefabricated composite envelope dramatically reduces weight, improves installation speed, and advances carbon-conscious construction. Inside, the podium levels bring education and innovation to the forefront, housing collaborative gathering spaces, immersive digital storytelling, flexible training environments, and a 40,000-square-foot research lab for Virginia Tech’s Coalition for Smart Construction. 

Wellness and restoration are equally embedded in the design. A library, sanctuary, wellness suite, clubhouse, and expansive rooftop terrace create a layered ecosystem that balances focused work with opportunities to recharge. Advanced systems—including Power over Ethernet (XPoE), redox flow battery storage, rainwater harvesting, and 3D-printed furniture from recycled materials—demonstrate how technology, craft, and sustainability intersect in real time. 

During this one-hour guided tour, participants will explore how intentional design decisions and precise construction sequencing delivered a high-performance corporate headquarters without compromising schedule, safety, or environmental goals. This program is ideal for architects, designers, contractors, and sustainability professionals seeking actionable insights into holistic, next-generation workplace design. 

This program is limited to 20 attendees, and a happy hour will follow the tour at a nearby location.

Learning Objectives 

1. Analyze integrated on-site renewable energy systems by analyzing how the 115,000-sf solar canopy, wind turbines, and RSS redox flow battery storage system work together to support Net-Zero energy performance while mitigating safety risks commonly associated with lithium-ion storage. 

2. Evaluate high-performance building envelope innovation by evaluating the use of HyperWall fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite panels as a lightweight alternative to traditional precast concrete, and assess their impact on construction sequencing, embodied carbon reduction, and installation efficiency. 

3. Assess water stewardship and resource management strategies by assessing the rainwater harvesting system that captures and repurposes rooftop runoff for landscape irrigation, reducing potable water demand and easing strain on local infrastructure. 

4. Examine next-generation building systems and circular design applications by reviewing the implementation of Advanced Power over Ethernet (XPoE) to deliver low-voltage power and data efficiently, alongside custom 3D-printed furniture made from recycled materials—demonstrating scalable approaches to smarter, safer, and more sustainable workplaces. 

Provider: AIA Northern Virginia
Provider Number: A058
Course Number: NOVA2026-012, Session 1

1.0 AIA LU|HSW Pending