Sustainable Design for East Valley Bus Maintenance Facility Will Make It the Largest and One of the First of Its Kind to Receive LEED™ Certification
102,350 square foot facility serving 250 buses is registered with the US Green Building Council.
(PRWEB) February 15, 2005 -- Designed by the team of RNL Design and
Maintenance Design Group (MDG), the facility will be certified at the Silver
Level, making it the largest and one of the first bus maintenance facilities in
the U.S. to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™)
certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The City of Tempe
Redevelopment Review Committee approved conceptual designs for the new East
Valley Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility in January.
The City and
design team are working together to implement sustainable design for this
facility and the City is also pursuing sustainable design for the Tempe
Transportation Center project. Implementing LEED™ principles and certifying the
project ensures specific sustainable, energy efficient, and water-saving
criteria are met. The Silver Level is a step above the Certified Level in
USGBC’s progressive LEED™ certification levels.
“The Bus Operations and
Maintenance Facility offers a terrific opportunity for incorporating green
building principles. We can reduce the local heat island effect and recharge the
groundwater by using permeable paving or stabilized decomposed granite for
employee parking,” says Bonnie Richardson, Architect and Principal Planner for
the Transportation Division of the City of Tempe, and LEED™ Accredited
Professional.
The new facility, which is owned and operated by the City
of Tempe, will include 75,600 square feet of maintenance space, 7,100 square
feet of fuel and wash space, and 19,650 square feet of administration and
operations space, and will serve as a base for a 250-bus fleet. The City of
Tempe Transportation Division provides transit services to Tempe, Scottsdale and
the surrounding areas as part of the Regional Public Transportation
Authority/Valley Metro Transit Agency.
Water conservation is a key
consideration for design. At full capacity, the 250 buses at the facility will
be serviced and washed daily.
“We have the chance to focus on water
conservation on this site, filtering, storing and reusing grey water while
reducing the demand for water from the City’s system. Energy conservation is
another area of focus, using high performance systems, natural light, and
alternative sources of energy to reduce operational expenses and optimize energy
performance,” Richardson adds.
The 25-acre complex situates the publicly
accessed administration/operations building at the east end of the site with a
large, curved spine canopy structure defining the public plaza and entry. The
maintenance building and other facilities are located within a secured yard. The
design incorporates sleek metal panels and tilt-up stained concrete panels in
reference to the buses and transportation functions housed there. Recognizing
the site’s proximity to Sky Harbor airport, the buildings are defined by large,
curving roof structures, providing a clean roof plane. Daylight spines and
curved roof volumes open towards the north, and are complemented by the
extensive use of curved tensile fabric at the bus canopies, bus shelter and
other locations.
Richardson is excited about the future of sustainable
design in Tempe. “The RNL and MDG team has done a great job of designing a
functional, attractive facility that will help set a new standard for
sustainable building in Tempe. Their thoughtful and creative approach to the
environment and the health and productivity of the employees will benefit the
City and the surrounding communities far into the future,” Richardson
says.
Design is expected to be complete in August 2005, with construction
scheduled to begin in the fall of 2005.
RNL Design is an integrated full
service architectural firm with offices in Denver, Los Angeles and Phoenix,
serving clients locally, nationally and internationally. Since its inception in
1956, RNL has built its practice providing innovative design solutions to
clients, surpassing their expectations and bringing ideas to life. RNL offers
clients a continuum of design services, including architecture, interior design,
landscape architecture, urban design and planning, and engineering. For more
information, please visit www.rnldesign.com.
MDG is a specialty consulting firm
that assists owners, architects engineers, and other professionals with the
planning and design of transit, public works, utility, school, and governmental
operating and maintenance facilities. For more information please visit www.maintenancedesigngroup.com.
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Source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/2/prweb208220.htm