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Rendering Courtesy of Bay Design Associates Architects

 

The new 76,000 square foot, two-story, $11 million Escambia County One Stop Facility, located in Pensacola, Florida, will provide an environment in which all types of required development applications are processed and construction related permits are issued for the county. Schmidt Consulting Group, Inc. provided Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Fire Protection, and Communications design services for this facility with a primary design objective of building sustainability.

The building uses an extensive green roof system consisting of 100% of planted area. The primary design objectives of implementing such a system were to reduce stormwater impact, to reduce the internal energy demand for cooling and heating, and to increase the lifespan of the roof. When complete, the green roof will total 33,160 square feet, making it the largest of its kind in the state of Florida.

 

A green roof structure has inherent thermal insulation properties which enable it to be cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. A green roof also reduces the urban "heat island" effect by reducing ambient air temperatures. These attributes result in the reduction of overall energy costs.

To complement the green roof's inherent benefits, high efficiency HVAC systems, low water-use plumbing fixtures, and day lighting were incorporated into the projects design to further decrease energy costs. The facility contains atrium areas and windows located around the perimeter which provide greater daylight to occupants positioned within its open floor plan.

Another attribute of the green roof is that it can better protect itself from ultraviolet radiation (the largest contributor to a shortened roof lifespan) more effectively than that of traditional materials. Vegetated areas heat up much less than those of exposed asphalt or bitumen, resulting in a tripled lifespan for the green roof. The vegetation provides another benefit in that its soft plant level allows for greater noise reduction by creating an insulated barrier. This is especially beneficial for the One Stop Facility which is located within close proximity to the Pensacola Regional Airport.

 
 
Escambia County | Municipal | LEED
 


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