The newly completed Richmond City Justice Center, for which Wiley|Wilson provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design services, as well as construction phase services, has earned LEED Gold certification for its sustainable features and use of “green” building best practices.

“This new Justice Center features several design elements and construction approaches that will ensure it operates as efficiently and environmentally friendly as possible,” said John Masouras, Wiley|Wilson Senior Engineer, Mechanical Department. John worked with the City of Richmond throughout the LEED review process. “LEED certification has become a recognized mark of excellence and we are very proud to have helped the City of Richmond achieve this designation.”

Some of the design features that led to the LEED Gold certification include:

• 47% reduction in water use
• Water-efficient landscaping
• 39.96% savings in energy costs
• 95.13% of generated construction waste diverted from landfills
• Low-emitting materials used, including paint and sealants and flooring system

The facility’s low-energy lighting design includes using energy-efficient, triple-tube compact fluorescent, T5 and T5HO lamps throughout the jail. Lights in non-secure areas are controlled by occupancy sensors that enable lights to be turned off even if people forget to do so when they leave the building. Inmate areas are zoned and controlled via a lighting contractor panel in the guard stations. Exterior lights are controlled by photocell so outside light levels control the fixtures to ensure that pole lights are not used when daylight is plentiful, which helps conserve energy.

Wiley|Wilson was responsible for different aspects of mechanical and electrical design operating as a subcontractor for The Bell Company and Watson Electric under the Tompkins/Ballard/Davis Joint Venture. The firm provided mechanical expertise in the design of various areas including instrumentation and controls, centrifugal water chillers, condensing boilers, cooling towers, air handling units, natural gas piping, smoke control ventilation, and kitchen ventilation. The firm was responsible for the design of the domestic hot water production, sanitary, storm, and domestic water systems in the new 1,032-bed facility. In addition, the firm provided the design for the lighting, power, and emergency power systems.

The completed Justice Center is a multi-story, 432,000 SF facility located on the site of the previous Richmond City Jail.

About LEED
LEED, Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is the most widely used green building rating system in the world, with nearly 69,000 LEED certified commercial buildings in more than 150 countries and territories globally. LEED-certified buildings offer lower operating costs and better indoor environmental quality, making them attractive to a growing group of corporate, public and individual buyers. High-performing building features increasingly enter into tenants’ decisions about leasing space and into buyers’ decisions about purchasing properties and homes.