Brock Environmental Center

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Brock Environmental Center is located on the banks of the Lynnhaven River in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It is designed to meet the highest environmental standards in accordance with The U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and the Living Building Challenge. Home to CBF's Hampton Roads staff and local conservation group, Lynnhaven River NOW, the Brock Center will benefit the larger public with spaces indoors and out for community and student groups.BackgroundPleasure House PointPleasure House Point is a 118-acre peninsula on the Lynnhaven River in Virginia Beach at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Developers purchased the land and planned to build "Indigo Dunes," a development of more than 1,100 new high-rise condos and townhouses. When the housing market collapsed in 2008, the building plans came to a halt, and the bank foreclosed on the property.In 2012, The Chesapeake Bay Foundation partnered with the City of Virginia Beach, the Trust for Public Land, and the local community to buy Pleasure House Point for $13 million, preserving it for recreation and education.The Chesapeake Bay Foundation bought a small corner of the property to build the Brock Environmental Center. The building takes its name from Virginia Beach philanthropist Dollar Tree founder Macon Brock and his wife Joan.Living Building ChallengeThe Living Building Challenge is the highest standard of certification for energy efficient, environmentally smart design and construction. The Challenge is composed of seven performance categories called Petals: Place, Water, Energy, Health and Happiness, Materials, Equity, and Beauty.