The new 79,000 square feet green office building has been designed as a ‘one-stop’ complex that meets the needs of the public. It consolidates all the services previously housed in three separate buildings, under one roof. The new facility houses members of the Escambia County Building Inspections, Environmental Enforcement, Fire Safety, Community and Environmental Services, Geographic Information System, Animal Control, Engineering, Development Services and Transportation offices. The two-storey building sits on nine acres on the site of the old Pensacola Interstate Fair, previously Builder’s Square.
The complex is Escambia County’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified building. With one of the largest green roof systems in the State of Florida, the facility is being counted among one of the most eco-friendly structures in the entire county. About 33,000 square feet of the roof is covered with small, drought-resistant, perennial plants that grow in a shallow bed of soil. The plants are watered by the rain. During excessive rains, the roof acts as a filter for stormwater runoff. The green roof also act as insulation and keeps the building cool.
The ‘green’ elements incorporated in the facility include pervious concrete paving, energy-efficient construction, and natural light. It is estimated that the building will use 22% less energy and 38% less water than current building codes allow. Various eco-friendly techniques were employed in the facility such as spray foam insulation, recycled content carpet with low toxin release, and furniture made of recycled material. Restrooms have waterless urinals, efficiency toilets, efficiency faucets, and automatic sensor lights.
ECCOC also features bicycle racks to encourage residents and employees to commute via bikes instead of car, special parking for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles and native vegetation that requires no irrigation. About 34% of materials used to construct the building were purchased from regional vendors and 43% of the total value of materials used was manufactured from recycled content. About 90% of the construction waste was recycled.
About 60% of the pavement surrounding the building is porous so that rainwater absorbs into the ground. The lawn is also covered with the same drought-resistant plants as on the roof, with natural pine needle mulch that makes it a low-maintenance campus with no need to mow.
The outside walls of the building are covered with panels made of galvanized, coated aluminum that will not rust and require no painting nor maintenance for the life of the building. the building has also been designed to withstand 140 mph hurricane-force winds.
The construction of the new ECCOC was funded through grants from Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Florida Division of Emergency Management and the Department of Environmental Protection at a cost of approximately $11 million. The green roof and previous parking lot was paid by a $1 million Florida Department of Environmental Protection grant.
