BLM Rawlins Field Office Building Earns LEED®-NC Gold Certification
August 19, 2009
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rawlins Field Office building in Rawlins, Wyoming, earned the “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” (LEED) for New Construction Gold certification through the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Green Building Rating System. The RMH Group provided mechanical/electrical engineering, LEED consulting, energy modeling and daylighting modeling services for the new two-story, 31,540-square-foot building housing offices, a laboratory and support spaces. The facility, now home to approximately 100 BLM employees, is the second BLM facility to earn LEED Gold certification.
“The Rawlins Field Office Building reflects the BLM's mission to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the pubic lands it oversees,” said Dennis Carpenter, Assistant District Manager with the BLM’s High Desert District. “I can attest first-hand that the building provides a comfortable, healthy environment for BLM personnel.”
The BLM Rawlins Field Office building boasts numerous sustainable and high-performance features including:
| > | East-west building orientation for solar gain control |
| > | Maximized daylighting and light fixtures with photosensors |
| > | Abundant views to the exterior |
| > | Louvers and light shelves to minimize glare and heat gain and introduce more natural light into the interior spaces |
| > | Energy-efficient exterior walls and roof and white reflective roof membrane |
| > | Paint with low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to promote a healthy interior environment |
| > | Construction materials with a high recycled content |
| > | Concrete masonry units carefully selected and arranged to echo nearby rock outcrops |
| > | Maximized open space |
| > | A living snow fence |
| > | A silt fence for erosion control |
| > | Rain water collection for wetland creation and landscape irrigation |
| > | Energy-saving indirect/direct evaporative cooling units that use no refrigerants |
| > | Operable windows |
| > | Ultra-low-flow water fixtures |
| > | 20 kW wind turbine to generate power |
The design team was led by Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc. (SEH), which provided project management, civil engineering and site development services. SEH was supported by The RMH Group, Chamberlin Architects (architecture) and Wenk Associates (landscape architecture). As the project’s LEED consultant, The RMH Group guided the LEED process from initial registration through final certification with the USGBC.
“The entire project team needs to be commended for their efforts to make this a LEED Gold-certified project,” said Jim Bradburn, Director of Sustainable Services with The RMH Group and the project’s LEED consultant. “Strong communication among all team members from the outset was essential to achieve a sustainable, integrated design.”
“The BLM is serving as a role model for public institutions and private industry with its dedication to sustainably designed and operated buildings,” added Bob Stroschein, Senior Vice President with The RMH Group and the project’s mechanical/electrical project manager. “This project exemplifies the Bureau's mission of not only protecting our lands but also minimizing the impact our buildings have on natural resources.”