As the capital city, Helsinki is the most populous municipality in Finland. It is the world’s northernmost metro area with over one million people and the hub for Finland’s major political, educational, financial, cultural and research centers.
As part of a larger project to improve mission operations, the Innovation Center, an existing office annex at the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki, was recently renovated and modernized to achieve LEED Platinum certification.
The design architect for the project was the Santa Monica, California-based architecture firm Moore Ruble Yudell Architects and Planners. The project architect for the B.L. Harbert International design-build team was Arlington, Virginia-based Page.
H&A’s engineering team created energy-efficient strategies for this 21,850 SF facility, originally built in the 1900’s in a region with a challenging climate and on a site with significant bedrock.
The U.S. Department of State, Overseas Buildings Operations goal was to reduce short-term and long-term operating costs for future occupants in a high-performing building.
The Innovation Center exemplifies the principles supported by the Department’s Greening Diplomacy Initiative and now serves as a model for eco-diplomacy.