CENTRAL CONTRA COSTA SANITARY DISTRICT
CSO Facility was designed for eventual GOLD LEED Certification.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies intended to improve performance in metrics such as energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.Certification by LEED Council can take up to six months after occupancy of the building.
KEY GREEN ELEMENTS IN THE NEW CSO FACILTY
“Green” materials used in furnishing, carpeting, etc. Recycled materials used in countertops and cabinets. Bioswales – planter system that filters rain and runoff before allowing runoff to flow into the storm drain system and on to streams and creeks.
Drip irrigation system, Permeable paving, Low-flow toilets, and skylights for ambient lighting. Automatic window shades programmed to lower when a specific temp is reached, thus reducing HVAC use. Green roof – will have drought resistant plants – to help keep that portion of the roof cool and energy efficient heating and air conditioning systems. Solar collectors to supplement water heating required for showers.
History of the CSO Facility
The District bought the property at 1250 Springbrook Road in Walnut Creekin 1955 for $15,000, constructed new facilities for about $120,000, and moved its offices and corporation yard there (from its original location on Mt. Diablo Boulevard in Walnut Creek) in December 1956.
From its completion in 1956 until 1982, this building served as the District headquarters and housed Collection System Operations (CSO), Engineering and Administration department employees.
In 1982, the Engineering and Administration staffs moved to the currentDistrict headquarters building at the plant in Martinez, and Collection System Operations staff became the sole occupants.
When the CSO facility was built in 1956, the District didn’t have as many cleaning and maintenance demands, our system was not as big or complex, and environmental regulations were not as stringent. As the District grew, so did the CSO staff, equipment, and technological needs. The facilities became inadequate; the building was not wired for computers; the layout was inefficient for its current use; nor did it meet today’s seismic standards and building codes.
The new facility combines the administration/crew building and warehouse, expanding both and increasing the total square footage by about 10,000 square feet.
Recent Central Contra Costa Sanitary District Achievements
In 2011, District received its 13th consecutive NACWA Peak Performance Platinum Award for outstanding compliance with the District’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit limits – 13 years without any sort of permit violation. Collection System has a low number of sewer overflows for the 1500 mile system.
More than 2 million pounds of household hazardous waste was collected by the District’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility in the last 12 months.
More than 14 tons of unused pharmaceuticals collected at 11 sites and safely disposed of in the past 2-½ years sponsored by Central Contra Costa Sanitary District.