Awards

The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) strives to perform all work at a high level of excellence and has been recognized for its efforts through many awards. These awards are highlighted here at the end of each fiscal year.

Fiscal Year (FY) 2018

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U.S. Botanic Garden team accepts Sustainable SITES® gold certification.

• American Institute of Architects: Thomas Jefferson Award for Public Architecture
  • 11th Architect of the Capitol Stephen T. Ayers, FAIA, CCM, LEED AP was selected as the 2018 recipient
• Three Association of Government Accountants (AGA) Certificates:
  • Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting (CEAR) for the AOC's FY 2017 Performance and Accountability Report (PAR)
  • Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting (CEAR) for "Best Executive Summary"
  • Certificate of Excellence in Citizen-Centric Reporting for the FY 2017 Performance and Accountability Highlights
• National Fire Protection Association: Recognition
  • AOC Fire Marshal Laurence Dallaire, PE for long-standing service as Chair of the Technical Committee of the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code
• U.S. Green Building Council: Gold Certification (Pictured above)
  • Bartholdi Park renovation was awarded gold certification as a Sustainable SITES® project
• Two Washington Building Congress Awards:
  • Craftsmanship Award for the House of Representatives Chamber Sound System Upgrade project
  • Star Award for Excellence in the Face of Adversity for the House of Representatives Chamber Sound System Upgrade project

FY 2017

Capitol Power Plant Revitalization, Construction Management Association of America's Project of the Year

• Two Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) National Capital Chapter Project Achievement Awards:
  • "Infrastructure project less than $150 million" for the Capitol Dome Restoration
  • "Project of the Year: Infrastructure Category (projects less than $50 million)" for the Refrigeration Plant Revitalization Program Phases 1, 2A and 2B at the Capitol Power Plant (Pictured above)
• Two Washington Building Congress 2017 Craftsmanship Awards:
  • "Special Construction: Scaffolding & Rigging" for the Capitol Dome Restoration
  • "Masonry: Exterior Stone" for the U.S. Capitol Building North Exterior Renovation
• The U.S. Capitol Dome Restoration project was the recipient of these additional awards:
  • Institute of Classical Architecture & Art John Russell Pope Award for Historic Preservation
  • Board of Victorian Society in America 2017 Preservation Award
• Two Association of Government Accountants (AGA) Certificates:
  • Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting (CEAR) for the AOC's FY 2016 PAR
  • Certificate of Excellence in Citizen-Centric Reporting for the FY 2016 Performance and Accountability Highlights
• AOC's Cogeneration Project was recognized with an award from the White House Council on Environmental Quality for contributing to the success of the President’s Performance Contracting Challenge
• Certificate of Appreciation from City Wildlife for the implementation of two duck ramps at the Capitol Reflecting Pond
• The U.S. Botanic Garden was named one of the "Best Botanical Gardens in the United States" by the Travel Channel and was voted the "Best Underrated Tourist Attraction" in Washington, D.C. by readers of The Washington Post.
• Employee Lee Coykendall (U.S. Botanic Garden Children's Education Specialist) was a 2017 recipient of the American Horticultural Society's Jane L. Taylor Award

FY 2016

Capitol Dome Restoration, D.C. Society of Professional Engineers' Project of the Year

• AGA Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting (CEAR) for the AOC's FY 2015 PAR
• Two District of Columbia Society of Professional Engineers' (DCSPE) Awards:
  • 2016 Project of the Year for the Capitol Dome Restoration project (Pictured above)
  • 2016 Engineer of the Year, Christine A. Merdon, P.E., CCM
• Two Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) Awards the Hart Senate Office Building (HSOB) Skylight and Roof Replacement project:
  • National Capital Region Chapter's Project of the Year, "Building Less than $25M" category
  • Top Regional Project, "Mid-Size Project" category
• 2016 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence "signifying that the CVC has consistently earned outstanding feedback from TripAdvisor travelers."
• Nomination for Helen Hayes awards for Outstanding Costume Design and Outstanding Theater for Young Audience for the musical, Flowers Stink, which was co-commissioned by the U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) and Kennedy Center and performed at the USBG
• Program Excellence Award from the American Public Garden Association for the USBG's and Lady Bird Johnson Wild Flower Center's Landscape for Life program
• Two Washington Building Congress awards for for the Thomas Jefferson Building Sprinkler System, West Main Pavilion, First Floor project:
  • 2016 Craftsmanship Award, "Mechanical: Plumbing" category
  • 2016 Star Award for Visual Excellence

FY 2015

U.S. Capitol Rotunda App Home Screen

• Adobe's Most Engaging Citizen-Facing Campaign in the Public Service category for U.S. Capitol Rotunda App (Pictured above)
• Two Association of Government Accountants (AGA's) Awards
  • Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting (CEAR) for AOC's FY 2014 (PAR)
  • Best in Class Award for the Best Use of Hyperlinks, Drilldowns, and Opportunities for Interaction in AOC's FY 2014 PAR
• CMAA National Capital Chapter's 2015 Project Achievement Award in the "Best Project Under $10 Million" category for the Capitol Power Plant Feedwater Pump Upgrade project
• League of American Cyclists' Bicycle Friendly Business designation
• TripAdvisor's Bravo Badge for the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center
• Virginia Water Environment Association's Gold Environmental Excellence Award for Industrial Waste and Pretreatment for the Library Buildings and Grounds' Packard Campus

FY 2014

Children enjoying Exibition Hall at the Capitol Visitor Center

• The AGA's Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting (CEAR) in recognition of AOC's FY 2013 PAR
• An Association of Energy Engineers Corporate Energy Management Region II Award "For Accomplishments on Developing, Organizing, Managing and Implementing an Outstanding Corporate Energy Management Program"
• Three 2013 CMAA Project Achievement Awards:
  • Infrastructure Project with Constructed Value Less Than $50 Million (Interior Rehabilitation of the East and West House Underground Garages)
  • Program Management/Program Phase—Buildings (U.S. Capitol Dome Skirt Restoration)
  • Program Management/Program Phase—Infrastructure (U.S. Capitol Power Plant, Tunnel Rehabilitation Program)
• Completion of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification of the U.S. Capitol Police K-9 facility in May 2014, achieving a status of LEED Gold.
• A 2014 Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor, the top online travel and tourism review site, recognizing that the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) "has consistently earned outstanding feedback from TripAdvisor travelers." The CVC ranked among the top 30 of nearly 300 similar facilities or museum institutions.
• As a partner to John C. Grimberg, Co., Inc., AOC received an Association of General Contractors' Washington Contractor Award for the Capitol Power Plant Improvement Project.

FY 2013

Dome Skirt Restoration Brickwork

• The AGA's Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting (CEAR) in recognition of the FY 2012 PAR
• The Association of Energy Engineers Region II Corporate Energy Management Award in recognition of AOC's energy management program
• The Washington Building Congress 2013 Craftsmanship Award for U.S. Capitol's Construction Division Emergency Lighting and Electrical Services Upgrade
• The Engineering News-Record Mid-Atlantic Renovation/Restoration Award of Merit for the U.S. Capitol Dome Skirt Restoration (Pictured above)

FY 2012

Virtual Capitol Website

• The AGA's Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting (CEAR) in recognition of AOC's 2011 PAR
• The East House Underground Garage received a LEED for New Construction certification at the Gold level
• The General Services Administration 2012 Achievement Award for Real Property Innovation Program, Sustainability Category, in recognition of AOC's East House Underground Garage Interior Rehabilitation Project
• The Building Operating Management magazine's FMXcellence Award for customer service excellence in recognition of AOC's Office of Security Programs
• The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences Webby Award for Best Government Website in recognition of the Virtual Capitol Website (Pictured above)

FY 2011

• The AGA's Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting (CEAR) in recognition of AOC's 2010 PAR
• 2011 Building Operating Management magazine's FMXcellence Award for Customer Service Excellence

2010

Curator Barbara Wolanin and 11th Architect of the Capitol Stephen Ayers accepting the preservation award.

• The American Institute for Conservation and Heritage Preservation's 2010 Award for Outstanding Commitment to the Preservation and Care of Collections

2009

• The Combined Federal Campaign's 2009 Summit Award

2008

The United States Botanic Garden Conservatory

• The United States Botanic Garden achieved accreditation from the American Association of Museums, the highest national recognition for a museum.
• 2008 AIA Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter Special Citation Design Award
• 2008 Washington Building Congress Craftsmanship Awards
• 2008 Great American Gardeners Award
• 2008 American Public Gardens Association Professional Citation