Draper Aden Associates are currently working as a sub consultant to Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas & Co. on renovations to Virginia Tech’s Henderson Hall, in Blacksburg, VA. Extending beyond a typical revitalization effort, the project also features the construction of an experimental Black Box theater. Project tasks performed by Draper Aden Associates include preparation of an Environmental Impact Report, topographic surveying, and all civil site design.
Located near the intersection of College Avenue and Draper Road, Henderson Hall is a highly visible site where land use transitions from the Virginia Tech campus to Blacksburg’s downtown district.
“While public support for the renovations and new theater venue is strong, the high profile nature of the project introduced additional site design goals, most notably that of LEED® Silver Certification,” adds Carolyn Howard, program manager at Draper Aden Associates.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) rating system provides a measure of performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.
The goal of LEED® Silver Certification forced project engineers to implement a complex stormwater management approach that minimized and mitigated the project’s impacts on water quality. While addressing water quality issues arising from LEED®, site designers had to also ensure that runoff did not result in flooding of Henderson Hall’s lower floors.
Throughout the project, Draper Aden Associates recognized the importance of communication with the project’s architect, client, and neighboring property owners. “This commitment to communication resulted in minimal changes between preliminary design layouts and final construction drawings,” concludes Carolyn.
