At the Capitol Power Plant we are planning for the future. Through rigorous analysis of various energy technologies and broad consultation with leading experts, we explored options for achieving future energy savings, reducing environmental impacts and maintaining a reliable source of chilled water and steam for the 23 facilities on Capitol Hill we serve, including the U.S.
Aside from a modest addition at the rear of the building, the historic USBG Conservatory exterior remains unchanged from its 1933 appearance. It contains two courtyard gardens and 10 garden rooms under glass, totaling 28,944 square feet of growing space, and also has two exhibit galleries.
The United States Capitol Dome, symbol of American democracy and world-renowned architectural icon, was constructed of cast iron more than 150 years ago.
In December 2014, the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) began replacing the roof and 180 skylights and upgrading the fall protection system on the Hart Senate Office Building. The roof and skylights, which were installed in 1982, had reached the end of their useful life and, over time, had allowed water infiltration which caused building damage.
The Architect of the Capitol constructed scaffolding around the Statue of Freedom to prepare for the tri-annual inspection and preservation efforts of the statue. The conservation of the art included washing the statue, inspecting and documenting the condition of the surfaces, replacing caulking and epoxy fills, sharpening the lightning points and reapplying a protective coating.
Mountains and Clouds, installed in the Hart Senate Office Building Atrium in 1986, was the last work of Alexander Calder (1898-1976), one of America's greatest twentieth-century sculptors. This sculpture, his only work with a separate mobile and stabile, consists of four organically shaped clouds hanging from a single shaft suspended from the roof.
The stone was cleaned to remove general soil, black gypsum crusts, biological deposits and copper stains. The mortar and sealants in the joints of the marble were replaced and the non-functional bird deterrent system was replaced.
The building, designed by architect Cass Gilbert, was constructed between 1929 and 1935. The classically detailed exterior is clad with white Vermont Imperial Danby marble with bronze windows and ornamental bronze doors, railings and light fixtures.
In December 2005, a modillion from the pediment cornice failed and fell to the ground which initiated the planning for the restoration of the building’s west façade. Emergency repair work was performed on the west portico over several years prior during summer recess of the Court.