UNITED THERAPEUTICS USPHERA

SILVER SPRING, MD

Following the success of United Therapeutics’ Unisphere, the largest, site-powered, LEED Zero commercial building in the United States, the team now looks to a new challenge of reducing both operational and embodied carbon on the next construction project. This 80,000 square foot building is designed to be Zero Net Energy and have an 80% reduction in embodied carbon from Unisphere. The Architectural industry has adopted LCA methods to bring substantial reductions in lifecycle environmental impacts of their designs. These established carbon accounting approaches, which focus primarily on embodied carbon, were insufficient for balancing of whole life carbon. Therefore, the team formulated a new accounting approach that considers a balance between embodied and operational carbon. Key strategies in reducing the embodied carbon footprint include a mass timber structure, reuse of existing concrete foundations, façade-integrated photovoltaics, minimization of interior construction and use of reclaimed furniture and other materials.

Social Equity Highlights

United Therapeutics is the first public biotechnology company to convert to a Public Benefit Corporation, aligning the company’s vision and mission with a specific cause to further benefit the public instead of focusing solely on the benefit of the shareholders. United Therapeutics is a mission-driven organization that focuses on saving lives and they believe that their buildings must support this mission by emitting zero net carbon and minimizing embodied carbon in their construction, which benefits the public by reducing pollution and providing an example in the marketplace for the feasibility of large-scale, low carbon buildings. United Therapeutics buildings are designed to support an equitable work environment featuring democratized office layouts to remove hierarchical seating, gender inclusive restrooms, dedicated wellness areas and lactation spaces. The new Usphera kitchen will continue to purchase baked goods and raw food products from small and minority-owned businesses to support equity in the local economy.