A Virginia military base’s community center has achieved a 70 percent reduction in energy costs and 43 percent water savings, compared to other similar buildings.

The U.S. Green Building Council has awarded Fort Belvoir’s Fairfax Village Neighborhood Center as the first military project ever to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-New Construction Platinum certification, according to a press release.

The neighborhood center is part of a public-private partnership between Clark Realty Capital, Clark Builders Group and the Department of the Army to develop, rehabilitate, and construct 2,070 homes on 576 acres at Fort Belvoir.

Features at the center include:

• a geothermal heat system
• photovoltaic solar panels
• efficient lighting controls
• a native and adapted species butterfly garden
• a recycled playground
• advanced indoor air quality management systems
• low volatile organic compound materials such as paint, carpet and sealants.