Oakland Fire Station Honored With LEED Gold Certification

The Oakland Fire Department recently unveiled its newest station at a ribbon cutting ceremony, and they had more to celebrate than just a brand new branch -- the project was also awarded LEED Gold status! Fire stations serve as second homes for firefighters, so <a href="http://www.skarc.com/" target="_blank">Shah Kawasaki Architects</a> designed <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/51663979@N03/sets/72157624275378495/" target="_blank">Fire Station 18</a> to be efficient, environmentally sound, and free of toxins. The project redeveloped a brownfield site and features solar hot water, a highly efficient HVAC system and <a href="../green-materials/" target="_blank">environmentally friendly materials</a>.

Fire Station 18 is located in a mixed-use working class neighborhood on a busy thoroughfare in Central East Oakland.

The old station was replaced on the existing site to meet OSHA and ADA requirements and accommodate modern emergency response apparatus. The new station accommodates three shifts of up to eight fire fighters and two ride-along students, two trucks and one ladder truck.

The newest fire station in the district also offers an updated floorplan and layout that features three drive-thru apparatus bays, nine hotel-style rooms for fire fighters (including two captain’s bedrooms), spacious and secure parking, an interior courtyard, and a large public community room – all located on a tight urban site measuring 10,000 square feet.

The building was designed to meet both the City of Oakland’s Green Building Ordinance and LEED Gold Certification building requirements.

A new public art project created for this station contributes to the model municipal facility's status as a community beacon that draws the disparate residential and commercial architectural styles of the community together.

The station also serves as a community landmark -- the public will have the opportunity to receive mentoring and training, and can attend neighborhood meetings in the community room located at the fire station.

Fire Station 18 provides “hotel-style” accommodations with private bathrooms for fire fighters. This allows the fire department to staff with sensitivity to gender and provides increased privacy for the crew and better sleeping arrangements than in the older bunk room style rooms.

A solar hot water system provides all the hot water the station needs for its low-flow toilets, showers and faucets.

Sustainable building and finish materials were included, like denim insulation, linoleum, FSC-certified wood products, and cool roofing materials.

Radiant floor heating was installed, which uses less energy than forced air heating systems and provides a higher level of user comfort. Natural ventilation systems provide all cooling needs for the fire station

Drive-thru apparatus bays make it easier to pull the vehicles in and out of the building and eliminate the need to stop traffic.

A construction waste management plan diverted 75% of waste from the landfill.

The new two-story building is founded on grade beams and spread footings with moment-frames, shear walls, open-web trusses and glue-lams. It also features a structural steel tower section supporting an exterior flagpole that towers at a height of approximately 60 feet.

Other sustainable elements were considered in the site's selection, development density, brownfield redevelopment, public trans­portation access, bicycle storage and changing rooms. To top it all off the building features storm water management for a green roof.

The station was opened on July 2nd in a ribbon cutting ceremony that was attended by the crew of Fire Station 18 and members of the local community. This station is the first LEED certified station in Oakland.