Net-positive Energy

Apex Plaza,
Charlottesville, VA

Starting from WM+P’s original aspiration of designing buildings like trees, Apex Clean Energy’s headquarters is built with a Mass Timber wood structure and healthy materials while harvesting daylight and energy from the sun. A total of 875 roof-and canopy-mounted solar panels is expected to produce 364 MWh of energy per year, enough to equate to net-positive energy use by the Apex offices.

Implementing MT products brings natural beauty to occupants while allowing for transparency in material sourcing, material health, material reutilization and carbon management. By assembling the building using only mechanical fasteners, the high-value MT elements can be harvested from the structure and reused so that the material can return to industry for next use as part of the circular economy.

The building also prioritizes occupant well-being, offering excellent views to natural light, lighting controls and operable shades, and Cradle to Cradle Certified™ products were incorporated where possible. Meanwhile, the structure’s green roof creates habitat to promote biodiversity and stormwater retention.