East Valley Bus Operations & Maintenance Facility

The 250-bus maintenance/transit facility, which opened Labor Day weekend 2007, is owned and operated by the cities of Tempe and Scottsdale and Valley Metro. The facility  includes:   

  • 75,600 sq. ft. of maintenance space

  • 7,100 sq. ft. of fuel and wash space 

  • 19,650 sq. ft. of administration operations space

The bus operations and maintenance facility offers an opportunity for incorporating green building principles.  This thoughtful and creative approach to the environment and the health and productivity of the employees benefits the city and the surrounding communities. 

The facility is located at 2050 W. Rio Salado Parkway just west of Priest Drive in Tempe. The cost to build the facility was $46.8 million. Funding for this project includes 50% in federal funds and 50% in local funding from the cities of Tempe and Scottsdale and from Prop 400.

 

Photography by Mark Delsasso

Sustainable Strategies for the facility include:

* Oil/water separator to filter storm water run-off and building water use
* Highly-reflective roofing membrane for flat roofs
* Metal canopies over buses to reduce heat island effect
* Drought resistant native landscaping
* Fabric shade canopies to reduce heat gain
* Reclaim and reuse 80% of bus washer water; remaining 20% is evaporative or drip run-off
* Alternative fuels for bus vehicles (Liquefied Natural Gas, Compressed Natural Gas)
* Alternative fuels for non-revenue vehicles (clean diesel)
* Low flow/dual-option plumbing fixtures and waterless urinals
* Evaporative cooling of maintenance areas
* Evaporative cooling system to reduce initial air temperature
* Under floor air distribution system to reduce energy usage by up to 47%
* Energy efficient emergency generation equipment
* Sensor activating lighting to reduce energy consumption artificial lighting
* Sensor activated light shut-offs in offices
* Recycled content in all carpet, tile, millwork and ceiling finishes
* Low volatile organic chemical emitting paint for all interiors
* Reduced window openings at east and west to reduce heat gain
* Double-pane/low-emissive glazing glass to reduce heat gain
* Natural lighting in all regularly occupied spaces
* Renewable Energy Development Plan (purchasing "green power" over next two years)                    *Decomposed granite parking lot surface to reduce heat island and run-off

The facility administration office will be submitted for LEED Gold certification and the remainder of the project will be submitted for LEED Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.