Pacific Highlands Ranch Fire Station, San Diego

In December, 2007 a Silver LEED certified firehouse was built in the Pacific Highlands community in San Diego. Built by Tovey/Shultz Commercial Construction, this facility now houses 4 crews of firefighters who service the areas of Carmel Valley, Del Mar Mesa, and Torrey Highlands. The 5.3 Million dollar facility was built with sustainability practices set by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Organization (LEED), and to aide in their LEED rating, the fire station has a 10 kW solar electric power system, installed by Borrego Solar.

The building has 60 Sharp 175-Watt solar photovoltaic (PV) modules installed on the roof to comprise a 10kW system. The solar power electric system is expected to offset the electricity usage by 10%. This building is truly an inspiration for the community, and in order to qualify as a LEED silver certified; the developers adhered to strict regulations when choosing the site, designing the projected energy usage, and choosing the materials and resources used to aid in cleaner indoor air quality of the structure both during and after construction.

First, the builders at Tovey/Shultz chose a site that would reduce the environmental impact of the development. To achieve this goal, they took measures for erosion control and installed outlets for reclaimed water and low flow water closets. The station is also complete with bicycle storage to encourage alternative forms of transportation for its employees. The roof of the firehouse is an Energy Star rated clay roof, which reflects sunlight to contribute to a cooler indoors, reducing the need for air conditioning.

In order to conserve energy and pollute less, the station has been equipped with high efficiency lighting fixtures and an HVAC system free from CFC’s. The remaining power, not offset by the roof top solar electric power system, is supplied by a wind energy; which makes the energy at this station 100% green.

Not only is recycling promoted at the station, but a portion of its structure is constructed from recycled materials. Using recycled steel helped the developers reach their goal that 10% of the structure be built from reused materials. The builder also maintained that 35% of the materials used were manufactured within 500 miles of the site to reduce transportation costs and carbon emissions. It’s thought that by keeping production nearest to the site as possible it will stimulate the local economy.

The indoor cabinetry is all made from FSC-certified wood (lumber from forests with restricted uses and enforced sustainability practices), and to keep the indoors even more pleasant, natural light is used whenever possible via skylights, and all thermostats, windows, and ceiling fans can be regulated individually.

The people who made this possible are paving the way for “green” building, and the station officially opened on February 6th, 2008.

Information courtesy of LEED Certified Architect, Christina A. Grade, from STK Architecture.

For more information about the builder, Tovey/Shultz, please visit www.Toveyshultz.com

For more information about the architect. STK Architecture, please visit www.stkinc.com