Arlington Bus Facility Wins Federal Award

Published on May 13, 2026

The Arlington Transit (ART) Operations and Maintenance Facility (AOMF) has been named a 2026 Better Project Award Winner by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The Better Project, Better Practice Awards recognize partners for innovative, industry-leading accomplishments in implementing energy efficiency, water efficiency and/or waste reduction measures; The Better Project Award recognizes outstanding accomplishments at individual facilities.

The awards were presented this week at the 2026 Better Buildings & Better Plants Summit in Arlington’s Crystal City.

Arlington’s new bus facility reduced energy costs by 83% through strategic upgrades, including the installation of 817 solar panels, offsetting annual energy consumption by 67%.

Following its ribbon-cutting debut in December 2024, the AOMF received the highest sustainability rating possible for a public service site: the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Platinum for Communities certification.

The new U.S. Department of Energy award recognizes the AOMF’s Platinum certification under LEED v4 BD+C: New Construction, plus its maintenance of Arlington’s new battery electric buses (BEB), which will lead to a 100% zero-emissions ART fleet by 2040.

AOMF fits into the broader strategy of Arlington’s Sustainable Buildings Policy, which strives for all County buildings and public facilities to incorporate the highest environmental performance standards using the LEED, ILFI, or Viridiant’s EarthCraft Virginia green building rating system.

The policy supports Arlington’s mission of sustainability and overall goals to reduce greenhouse gases and energy use.

This AOMF project’s specific features and benefits can be replicated by future buildings that strive to meet Arlington’s Sustainable Buildings Policy. Those guidelines aim to reduce operating costs through energy and water efficiency; achieve high-performing, durable, and efficient buildings that are easy to operate and maintain; invest in healthy indoor environments for staff and visitors; demonstrate Arlington’s commitment to environmental, economic and social stewardship; and set a community standard of sustainable building practices.

To learn more about the project, visit the ART Operations and Maintenance Facility project page.