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East Valley Bus Operations &
Maintenance Facility
The East Valley Bus
Operations & Maintenance Facility was awarded Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building
Council, the nation’s foremost coalition of leaders from across the
building industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally
responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. Green
building is a whole-systems approach using design and building
techniques to minimize environmental impact and reduce energy
consumption of buildings while contributing to the health of the
occupants.
The 250-bus maintenance/transit facility,
which opened in summer 2007, is owned
and operated by the cities of Tempe and Scottsdale and Valley Metro. The
facility
includes:
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75,600 sq. ft. of maintenance
space
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7,100 sq. ft. of fuel and wash
space
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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
used during the construction:
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recycled content in all carpet, tile, millwork and ceiling finishes
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low volatile organic chemical emitting interior paint
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strategically designed and located windows and natural lighting
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wood products taken
from sustainably harvested and managed forests
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aggressive
construction waste diversion efforts to divert over 98% of the waste
generated during construction or roughly 3,300 tons of materials
On-going sustainable
practices:
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highly-reflective roofing membrane for flat roofs
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oil/water separator to filter storm water run-off
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metal canopies over buses to reduce heat island effect
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drought-resistant native landscaping
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fabric shade canopies
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bus washer that reclaims and reuses 100% of available water (72%
total reclaimed with remaining 28% evaporative or run-off )
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alternative fuels for bus vehicles (liquefied natural gas and
compressed natural gas)
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low flow/dual-operation plumbing fixtures and waterless urinals
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evaporative cooling/evaporative chilled water cooling system
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under-floor air distribution system
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53% reduction in operating energy usage
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sensor-activated lighting to reduce energy consumption of artificial
light
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double-pane/low-emissive glazing glass
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natural lighting in all regularly occupied office spaces
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decomposed granite parking lot surface
The built environment has a
huge impact on our natural environment, economy, health and
productivity. In the United States, buildings account for:
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36% of total
energy use
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65% of
electricity consumption
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30% of
greenhouse gas emissions
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30% of raw
materials use
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30% of waste
output/136 million tons annually
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12% of
potable water consumption
Environmental benefits of
building green:
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Enhance and
protect ecosystems and biodiversity
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Improve air
and water quality
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Reduce solid
waste
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Conserve
natural resources
Economic benefits of
building green:
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Reduce
operating costs
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Enhance
asset value and profits
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Improve
employee productivity and satisfaction
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Optimize
life-cycle economic performance
Health and community
benefits of building green:
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Improve air,
thermal and acoustic environments
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Enhance
occupant comfort and health
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Minimize
strain on local infrastructure
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Contribute
to overall quality of life
Over two-thirds of the residential
construction waste stream is wood and drywall. These materials
can easily be ground up and reused on the jobsite. Benefits
include:
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