PEC has owned our headquarters office in Warrenton, VA since 1993, following the property’s donation by George L. Ohrstrom. The second oldest building in town, the small farmhouse was renovated, and an addition was added to the building soon after it was acquired. In November 2014, PEC expanded the 4,800-square-foot office further to meet a need for additional meeting and office space.
As part of this renovation, PEC balanced the historical integrity of the circa 1784 building with sustainability and energy efficiency improvements through adaptive reuse of the existing structure, a high-performance building envelope, locally available and formaldehyde-free materials, recycled-content materials, low-VOC paints, low-flow plumbing fixtures, LED lighting, state-of-the-art window panes, and a geothermal heating system.
We also began extensive restoration work on the office grounds, including native plantings and a rain garden for stormwater management. In 2018, “The Larson Native Plant Garden” was completed with plants sourced from local nurseries. Today, the garden functions as a demonstration site for creating wildlife habitats in relatively small urban and suburban spaces.
Throughout the year, we host tours and workshops to showcase the garden and share with people how native plants can be used in home landscaping. Plant labels with scientific names and bloom periods are installed throughout the garden so people can take note of specific plants they like and use them in their own yards. If you’re in Warrenton, you’re welcome to stop by during office hours to be shown around by our staff. We recommend visiting from mid-spring to mid-fall when plants are in bloom.
Continuing on our “lead by example” approach, in 2016, we worked with partners at the Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP) and contractor Solar Solutions for All to install solar panels onto our roof. This included 38 PV panels and microinverters.
