California Prison Goes Green

A $20 million mental health care facility at the high-security Salinas Valley State Prison in California recently received a Silver certification under the auspices of LEED for New Construction (LEED-NC), according to a recent article.

The 36,000 square foot facility is the first new building in the state prison system to receive a LEED certification. The facility was recognized for both its green a cost-efficient features. For example, the facility is projected to reduce its water consumption by 56 percent compared to a similar conventionally built facility, while simultaneously reducing energy use by 37 percent and lower sewage conveyance by 70 percent through a state-of-the-art vacuum plumbing system.

The facility, which provides housing and inpatient mental health care for 74 residents, opened in April, 2009. The facility earned a score of 33 points from the LEED rating system, out of a possible 69 total points.

The facility’s LEED certification is part of a larger statewide initiative, spearheaded by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, to certify all new state-owned facilities. In addition, though the construction of the facility predates the adoption of CALGREEN in January of this year, the building integrates measures that are compliant with both LEED and CALGREEN. Specifically, energy performance measures, construction waste management plans, and the reduction of water and material resource use, and building commissioning satisfy both certification systems, according to a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) press release.

“CDCR has shown leadership in conserving energy on a grand scale, through reducing electricity usage to saving water,” said CDCR Secretary Matthew Cate, in the press release. The Salinas Valley State Prison staff and contractors worked hard to make sure this new facility was LEED certified, our first prison to achieve such a designation in California. Our goal is to make all future prisons LEED certified, a standard.”

The facility was designed by Nacht & Lewis Architects of Sacramento.

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Chris Timmerman
Contributing Writer
Green Education Services
www.greenedu.com