HITT Contracting Headquarters
Client
HITT Contracting Inc.
Category
Commercial
Location
Falls Church, Va.
Size
270,000 sf; six stories
Architect
Gensler
Contractor
HITT Contracting Inc.
Project Timeline
January 2025 - June 2026
HITT Contracting, a top national commercial construction firm, partnered with Building Composites to create an innovative headquarters in Falls Church, minutes from Washington, D.C. Designed by Gensler and slated for completion in late 2026, sustainability and R&D are central to its development. The site will feature a remarkable 100,000-sf photovoltaic solar canopy, generating all the energy needed for the building.
The new headquarters will also serve as a hub for construction innovation and education. Virginia Tech has leased ground floor space for the Coalition for Smart Construction. Together, HITT and Virginia Tech envision a nationally recognized hub that will advance building practices and ultimately shape the industry’s future.
Using HyperWall™ panels will reduce the construction time required to close the building by as much as 50%, with significantly less on-site labor and equipment. Preinstallation of jumbo glazing at an off-site facility will eliminate the need for the glazing trade to be present on-site. A suction lifter will be utilized for the installation, precisely moving the panel by attaching it to the glazing. The panel system will also reduce the embodied carbon of the building enclosure by at least 50% compared to architectural precast concrete.
Key engineering highlights
- Unique geometry: most panels are only 12 in. wide but must handle the loading of the jumbo glass system installed inside the panels. A profile this small would not have been possible with precast concrete.
- Innovative preinstallation of jumbo glazing at an off-site facility
- A suction lifter will be utilized for the installation, precisely moving the panel by attaching it to the glazing.
- R-value of 26
- Very high sound dampening: STC reduction of 60 with an OITC reduction of 47
- Bolted connection design that facilitates the installation of 16 panels per day, compared to 8–10 for other formats
Building Composites is delivering 350 HyperWall panels, complete with factory-installed jumbo glazing, to the job site for installation. Our team is collaborating with glazing partner Momentum Glass to coordinate all building information modeling (BIM) for the exterior, design of the connections and installation of the panels onto the building.
Next Project
Converge West Falls
Converge West Falls will be a 438-unit, 550,000-sf, 13-story apartment building, including 18,000 sf of ground floor retail and below-grade parking. Using HyperWall panels will reduce the construction time required to close the building by as much as 50%.