Rockville, Md., July 24, 2008 — The U.S. Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention today announces that its new headquarters has been honored by the Maryland/DC Chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) as the Best BioTech Building in the region. USP's new headquarters was designed to help the organization build on its core mission of setting official quality standards for legally marketed medicines, dietary supplements and food ingredients in the United States and around the world.
The building was designed by HOK, a noted Washington D.C.-based firm that has many buildings to its credit, including the National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, a companion facility to the museum, near Washington Dulles International Airport.
"We are honored to receive this recognition from the NAIOP," said Roger L. Williams, M.D., USP executive vice president and CEO. "Our new headquarters building is helping our growing organization to set public standards that benefit consumers all over the world, and our advanced laboratories are keeping us at the forefront of rapidly advancing science and technology."
USP's new headquarters building officially opened in March and boasts over 227,000 square feet of office, laboratory and meetings center space. Laboratories and office space are integrated to facilitate employee collaboration, and a world map appears on the glass exterior of the meetings center window to reflect USP's international standards-setting mission. Sustainability was also a major factor in the design, as the building is constructed of high levels of recycled material, features energy efficient appliances, and includes a "green roof" made up of vegetation that improves storm water management and reduces energy consumption. Construction was completed by DPR Construction and the project was managed by Orr Partners.
USP's new building has already garnered other awards, including one from Mid-Atlantic Construction magazine as part of its "Best of 2007" awards program and one from The Metropolitan Washington and Virginia Chapters of Associated Builders and Contractors for excellence in construction.
NAIOP is the nation's leading trade association for developers, owners, investors, asset managers and other professionals in industrial, office and mixed-use commercial real estate. The Maryland/DC chapter's Awards of Excellence Program annually honors regional buildings completed in the previous year in nearly 30 categories. The Best BioTech Award is given to the building project that best proactively accounts for and innovatively addresses the special design needs of the biotech industry.
USP—Advancing Public Health Since 1820
The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) is a private, non-profit, standards-setting organization that advances public health by helping to ensure the quality and consistency of medicines, food ingredients, and dietary supplements, promoting the safe and proper use of medications, and verifying ingredients in drugs and dietary supplements. Its standards, which are recognized worldwide, are developed by a unique process of public involvement through the contributions of volunteers representing pharmacy, medicine, and other health care professions, as well as science, academia, government, the pharmaceutical and food industries, and consumer organizations. For more information about USP and its public health programs, visit www.usp.org/newscenter.