KAIĀKEA – February 13, 2014 – (RealEstateRama) — The U.S. Green Building Council recently announced that the County of Kaua‘i achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver certification for the Kaiākea fire station. The certification falls under the LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance Rating System.
In a letter to the county, the USGBC stated, “LEED certification identifies Kaiākea fire station as a showcase example of sustainable design and demonstrates your leadership in transforming the building industry.”
Acknowledging county personnel that were involved in the certification process, Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr. said, “To achieve this distinction, several of our agencies collaborated on this project including Public Works, the Fire Department, and the Office of Economic Development. It is because of their efforts, along with our contractor Unlimited Builders, Inc., that the county met all the requirements for a LEED certification.”
Having the certification demonstrates that the county is committed to becoming sustainable in the operation and maintenance of its facilities, noted the mayor.
In order to obtain the LEED silver certification for Kaiākea, the county had to score a certain number of points in five main categories with the possibility of earning extra points in two other categories.
Sustainable sites: Encourages strategies that minimize the impact on ecosystems and water resources.
Water efficiency: Promotes smarter use of water, inside and out, to reduce potable water consumption.
Energy and atmosphere: Promotes better building energy performance through innovative strategies.
Materials and resources: Encourages using sustainable building materials and reducing waste.
Indoor environmental quality: Promotes better indoor air quality and access to daylight and views.
The county also earned points in two bonus categories including:
Innovation in operations: Addresses sustainable building expertise as well as design measures not covered under the five LEED credit categories.
Regional priority credits: Address regional environmental priorities for buildings in different geographic regions.
All of the data provided to the U.S. Green Building Council had to be meticulously documented and verified by a third party.
In 2009, the county received a direct allocation block grant of $267,900 from the U.S. Department of Energy via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which was used to plan, design and install a 27.6 kW photovoltaic power system for the Kaiākea fire station.
Since the PV system was completed and activated in February 2012, it has generated 95,428 kWh of production. At an average rate of $0.40 per kWh, the total production has offset more than $38,170 of electricity costs for the station.
In terms of impact to the environment, it is estimated that Kaiākea’s PV system has prevented 58,000 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalents from polluting the air annually.
The Kaiākea fire station opened in September 2010. The 6,573-square-foot facility is the newest of the eight fire stations on Kaua’i.
Fifteen firefighters covering three shifts are assigned to Kaiākea.
During his 2010 inaugural speech, Mayor Carvalho spoke about his vision for Kaua’i in the year 2020, which includes achieving LEED certification for county buildings.
The LEED initiative is one of 38 projects that are part of the mayor’s Holo Holo 2020 vision for Kaua’i, which calls for all organizations, businesses, residents and visitors on Kaua’i to be part of creating an island that is sustainable, values the native culture, has a thriving and healthy economy, cares for all – keiki to kupuna – and has a responsible and user-friendly local government.
To see the complete list of Holo Holo 2020 projects, please go to the county website, www.kauai.gov.
For details on the LEED silver certification for the Kaiākea fire station, please go to the LEED website, http://www.usgbc.org/projects/kaiakea-fire-station.
Contact:
LARRY DILL, COUNTY ENGINEER
Tel (808) 241-4996
Fax (808) 241-6604
