Walmart – H Street

The H Street Supercenter represents a contemporary approach to the way retail architecture is envisioned. By rethinking traditional design practices, MMA has set a new precedent for big-box retailers. The most challenging aspect of the project was taking a suburban/ rural client and efficiently adapting it to an urban context.

The successful collaboration of the project team led to Walmart’s first LEED Commercial Interiors Silver Certification in their entire global fleet of stores. In order to meet the requirements for both operational and LEED Certification, H Street was designed to fit within a mixed-use building that houses residential apartments, retail space, and below grade parking. The floor area is less than half of a prototypical supercenter, which only amplified the performance of the sustainable design methods employed to meet the DC Green Building Act.

A major design feature of this project is how it addresses rainwater retention and reuse. Two systems have been designed to retain 102 thousand gallons of rainwater. An underground stormwater management tank was provided in addition to two landscaped courtyards planted with native plants and trees. Water stored in the underground stormwater management tank is harvested as makeup water for Walmart’s cooling towers, thereby reducing water demand.

Other energy saving methods include high-efficiency sinks and urinals, LED lighting, recycled plastic baseboards, exposed concrete flooring, and sales floor ventilation served by the 100% outside air water pump. The project team also surpassed the minimum diversion rate for nonhazardous construction and demolition by recycling excess debris. MMA saw H Street as an opportunity to set a precedent for big-box retailers, which account for a large percentage of the world’s energy consumption and CO2 emissions. By incorporating sustainable strategies into global retailers’ standard business practices, big-box stores can have an immensely positive environmental impact.