Green Roofs at Capital One Center

Green roofs positively impact our environment in many ways. They help reduce the Urban Heat Island Effect, a condition in which urban environments tend to absorb unwanted heat. The Perch, our rooftop park, will achieve cooling strategies, insulate Capital One Hall, purify the air surrounding our development, save carbon footprint and energy costs, and offer water efficient landscaping and infiltration with our stormwater management systems -- just to name a few benefits! The Perch was designed to adhere to the highest standards in sustainability.

Our rooftop park was designed to host all kinds of plants – even trees! Below the finished surface is a layered system to make up the intensive green roof system and stretches as far as 4 feet below the surface so the trees have enough soil to thrive in. But our roof can’t support all that weight of soil throughout, so we built up the sidewalks and plazas with recycled glass gravel that’s lightweight and compactable.

Each of our species was carefully selected to handle the higher winds, dryer soils, and less water on top of the roof. Even with all these restrictions, we’ve managed to achieve a diverse landscape that always has something in bloom and creates a wonderful habitat for birds and insects.

Sitting atop of our Center Two corporate tower is another green roof -- with beehives! Honey bees are an agricultural animal, in the same way as sheep and cattle, and a crucial part of our ecosystem, pollinating fruits and vegetables and flowering plants.

‍

About Capital One Center

Capital One Center, the public-facing portion of Capital One’s global headquarters in Tysons, Virginia, redefines mixed-use development by providing an arts-focused enriching indoor/outdoor experience. When fully built-out, this 6 million sq. foot entertainment destination will be home to a vibrant array of public art, performances, and retail, including a world-class performing arts center, Capital One Hall, a 2.5 acre skypark, The Perch, and 300-key boutique hotel, The Watermark. Capital One Center is thoughtfully designed to create a walkable campus where small steps lead to big experiences.

‍