Islamabad, Pakistan - In an important symbol of the commitment and enduring relationship with Pakistan, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Richard G. Olson, and the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations Deputy Director Casey Jones, alongside local officials, dedicated the first phase of the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad today.

The first phase includes a chancery and office annex, a service support annex, a warehouse, and a utility building. The second phase will include staff apartment buildings, a consular annex, a parking structure, and additional facilities for the embassy community.

The project incorporates numerous sustainable features to conserve resources and reduce operating costs, including an array of photovoltaic panels on the top deck of the service support facility, energy efficient light-emitting diode site lighting, and architectural sunshades to limit solar heat gain. An on-site waste water treatment plant allows treated water to be used for irrigation.

Yost Grube Hall Architecture of Portland, Oregon, is the design architect, and PAGE of Arlington, Virginia, is the architect of record. B.L. Harbert International of Birmingham, Alabama constructed the multi-building campus.

Since 1999, as part of the Department’s Capital Security Construction Program, the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) has completed 121 new diplomatic facilities and has an additional 46 projects in design or under construction.

OBO’s mission is to provide safe, secure, and functional facilities that represent the U.S. government to the host nation and support our staff in the achievement of U.S. foreign policy objectives. These facilities should represent American values and the best in American architecture, engineering, technology, sustainability, art, culture, and construction execution.