Environment DEC
From the December 2005 issue
DEC Dedicates Renovated Region 5 Sub-office in Warrensburg
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan recently dedicated the newly renovated DEC Region 5 Sub-office in Warrensburg. The building, designed to meet "Green Building" standards, was completely renovated and expanded to allow DEC programs and services to be provided more effectively, and to make the building more functional and useable for the public.
The newly renovated and expanded DEC Warrensburg office features an energy-efficient design
Reinforces DEC's Commitment
"I am proud to dedicate this building which is now more functional for DEC staff, more accessible to the public, more energy efficient, and more environmentally friendly," said Commissioner Sheehan. "The building also reinforces DEC's commitment to the people of this area to conserve, improve and protect their environment."
The most notable physical change is the addition of 7,276 square feet of office space and meeting rooms to the southwestern end of the old building. However, the addition and renovated portion are now compliant with the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The whole building is now accessible for DEC employees and the public. ADA accessible features include accessible bathrooms and water fountains, an elevator, an automated entryway, widened aisles, and fixtures. The construction of a large accessible conference room on the first floor allows the office to now be used for public meetings. The entrance road and the parking lot were also reconfigured to make ingress, egress and parking safer and easier to use.
Certified Green Building
The building was designed to meet the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. Certification as a "Green Building" will be applied for by DEC upon final building commissioning and submission of associated LEED documentation. The LEED certification is based on energy efficiency for heating, cooling and lighting, use of recycled and other environmentally friendly materials, and indoor environmental quality.
The Governor's Executive Order No. 111 - "Green and Clean" State Buildings and Vehicles promulgated on June 10, 2001 requires that, in the design, construction, operation and maintenance of new buildings, state agencies shall, "to the maximum extent practicable, follow guidelines for the construction of Green Buildings." The Region 5 Sub-office in Warrensburg was designed and constructed to exceed the basic goals.
Some of the features of the building that comply with Executive Order No. 111 and allow it to qualify for the LEED certification include an energy analysis indicating that the building is more than 29 percent more energy efficient than conventional construction, while providing better interior and exterior lighting, and air distribution. It also has triple-glazed windows, extra insulation in the walls and roof, and 100 percent stormwater retention on-site.
Brief History of Sub-office
The Warrensburg Regional Sub-office building officially opened for business in 1963 as the New York State Conservation Department's Region 6 Headquarters. Built to serve Fulton, Hamilton, Saratoga, Washington and Warren Counties, it housed staff with the Division of Fish and Game and District 11 of the Division of Lands and Forests. The current Department of Environmental Conservation consists of a number of programs that were not part of its predecessor, such as Operations, Environmental Permits, and Environmental Quality which includes air and water quality protection, oversight of solid waste and hazardous materials, and remediation of petroleum spills and hazardous waste releases.
DEC partnered with the New York State Office of General Services to assist with bidding, selection of design firms, design review and construction management. The Albany-based architectural firm of Hyman Hayes Associates, LLC was awarded the design contract. Project design for the new building began in April 2004 and was finalized in August 2004.
After completing the bidding process, construction on the addition began in early November 2004. Contractors for the job were: Bast Hatfield, Inc. (Latham) - Construction; Gross Electric, Inc. (Queensbury) - Electric, and R.F. Gordon Mechanical, Inc. (South Glens Falls) - Mechanical and Plumbing.
Two-phase Project
The project was constructed in two phases. The first phase was the addition, which was ready for occupancy on June 1. DEC staff moved out of the old building at that time, either moving into the new addition or into temporary office space. The second phase began with the demolition of the interior and renovation of the old building. The second phase was completed in September with DEC staff moving in on September 29. Total cost of the project is approximately $3.7 million. See "Related Links" below for a link to the full press release, including a fact sheet that lists the building's environmental features.
