FEMS Fleet Maintenance Facility
This project is located in Blue Plains at the southwest edge of the District of Columbia. It is a new construction on a single lot. The mixed-use development includes office spaces, motor vehicle facilities, warehouses, and production/distribution/repair areas. This project is a key effort to enhance the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services and the DC Office of the State superintendent of Education.
The three buildings - OSSE Facility, FEMS Maintenance Facility, and FEMS Logistics Facility - are all designed to achieve LEED Silver certification. These buildings, along with the entire campus site, incorporate a wide array of sustainability features that promotes eco-friendly transportation, reduce urban heat, optimize water use, lower energy consumption, generate renewable energy, minimize waste, and improve indoor air quality. Together, these features support environmental responsibility, energy efficiency, and the well-being of building occupant.
LOCATION AND TRANSPORTATION:
Bicycle Facilities:
The project is connected to a nearby bike trail. To encourage cycling and improve transportation efficiency, the campus includes long-term and short-term bike storages, as well as shower with changing facilities for cyclists.
WATER EFFICIENCY:
Water-Conserving Landscape:
The project’s landscape design incorporates native plants and requires no permanent irrigation system after an initial two-year establishment period.
INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY:
Smoke-Free Building:
To protect indoor air quality and ensure a healthy environment for all occupants, smoking is prohibited both inside and outside the buildings, except in designated areas.
INNOVATION:
Water Leak Detection and Monitoring:
All water meters and submeters are equipped with water flow and leak detection sensors. These sensors monitor water usage, document anomalies, and notify the facility management team if leaks or abnormal water usage are detected, ensuring timely intervention and promoting water conservation.
SUSTAINABLE SITES:
Green Roof:
All the buildings feature green roof systems to reduce stormwater runoff, lower roof surface temperature, and minimize heat transfer from the building, contributing to energy efficiency and urban cooling.
Bioretention Planter Boxes:
Bioretention planter boxes are strategically placed throughout the site to replicate the natural hydrology, reducing stormwater runoff volumes and improving water quality by filtering pollutants.
ENERGY AND ATMOSPHERE:
Solar System:
The majority of the building roofs are covered by solar panels, which provide clean, renewable energy. This helps lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the reliance on non-renewable power sources.
Energy Efficient Window and Storefront System:
The building facades are equipped with high-performance glazing systems to improve the building’s overall energy performance. These systems have low U-factors to minimize heat loss in winter, and low Solar Heat Gain Coefficients to reduce heat gain during summer.
MATERIALS AND RESOURCES:
Dedicated Recycling Area:
Dedicated recycling spaces are provided throughout the site for the collection and storage for recyclable materials. This initiative reduces the volume of waste sent to landfills and promotes a culture of recycling and waste minimization.