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green view Sustainable design for maintenance and operations facilities a proven success BY MERLIN MALEY, AIA THE CHALLENGE South Bend is located 735 feet above sea level and has extreme lake effect weather events because of its location east of Lake Michigan. In addition, the project provided some unique obstacles, including predominate heating loads, ample amounts of annual snowfall (60 inches to 70 inches per year), and sometimes extended peri- 58 < mETRO mAGAZINE JANUARY 2013 Photo Courtesy Ken Paul d esigning sustainable transit facilities for cold climates is challenging because functional requirements of transit systems in these regions naturally require large amounts of energy. It is not uncommon for buses parked outdoors to be idled for long periods in an effort to prevent ice buildup on windows and ensure that the buses are warm and comfortable. If buses are parked indoors, then large amounts of tempered air are required due to exhaust and the accompanying requirement for fresh air. Diesel fuel costs continue to rise and the need to protect rolling stock investments warrants agencies' needs and desires to park vehicles under cover and ultimately indoors in colder climates. Additionally, improving air quality standards in regions and communities is becoming more important because of the overall health risks associated with poor air quality. Experienced transportation teams design functional, cost effective, sustainable maintenance facilities that reduce energy and resource consumption while creating happier and healthier places to work. One recently completed project that highlights sustainable transit facility design for cold climates is the Emil "Lucky" Reznik Facility for TRANSPO in South Bend, Ind., which was designed by RNL, in association with Forum Architects and the Maintenance Design Group. South Bend, Ind.'s TRANSPO LEED Platinum bus facility combines bus storage, maintenance, administration and operations all under one roof and is designed to accommodate 76 buses. ods of extreme cold, typically during the months of January and February. Design on the Emil "Lucky" Resznick Administration, Maintenance and OperationsFacilityforTRANSPObegan in 2007 with an innovative process that included design charettes and in-depth conversations addressing functional requirements and sustainability. TRANSPO's owner group required the design team to deliver an efficient, innovative, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Designcertified (LEED) project that could accommodate 20 years of growth and would have a 50-year minimum lifespan. The facility was certified LEED Platinum in June 2011 and the first transit maintenance/operations project in the country to achieve LEED's highest level of certification. The facility combines bus storage, maintenance, administration, and operations all under one roof and is designed to accommodate 76 buses. At 167,000 square feet, the building is twice the size of the facility it replaced, yet it is achieving a 10% energy savings over the original structure (90% of the annual utility costs). The former facility began as a milking shed in the 1890s and was adapted to accommodate a bus and trolley transit operation starting in 1923. Despite being twice as large as the old facility, TRANSPO's new facility has seen almost $20,000 in operational savings. Perhaps more importantly, they have seen their annual average energy cost per square foot drop by approximately 57%. This operational savings equates to better and more cost effective services for their customers. COST SAVING MEASURES Significant sustainable design measures on TRANSPO's new home include plenty of natural light, lighting control systems, thermal performance and thermal mass to achieve its metro-magazine.com