Charleston County News Release
MEDIA CONTACT
Name: Jennie Davis, Charleston County Public Information Officer
Phone: 843.958.4012
Email: jdavis@charlestoncounty.org
Release Number: 3046
Date: September 3, 2009
See more information: http://www.charlestoncounty.org/Departments/dispatch/overview.htm
Future Consolidated 9-1-1 Center Aims to be LEED Certified
County Council votes to build a certified “green” 9-1-1 center by 2012
During a regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 1, Charleston County Council voted to authorize staff to pursue Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the Charleston County Consolidated 9-1-1 Center. The center is part of a multi-jurisdictional plan to consolidate all 9-1-1 emergency dispatch operations within Charleston County, and is expected to be complete in 2012.
The LEED rating system was developed by the U. S. Green Building Council and is designed to guide and distinguish high performance “green” buildings. The process provides a nationally recognized system for understanding and applying smart, sustainable design practices with third-party validation.
LEED certification is based on a point system of credits obtained in categories such as:
Sustainable sites
Water efficiency
Energy and atmosphere
Materials and resources
Indoor air quality
Innovation and design process
Regional priority credits
“The County is putting forth significant effort into energy conservation, sustainability and good stewardship of the area’s natural resources,” wrote Charleston County’s Facilities Department Director, Dan Chandler, in the information packet that was given to County Council members prior to Tuesday night’s vote. “There is an opportunity to publicly demonstrate our commitment to continue these endeavors by incorporating LEED certification into the design and construction of the new Consolidated 9-1-1 Center.”
The multi-jurisdictional Charleston County Consolidated Dispatch Board also encouraged the County to have the center be a LEED certified building.
“It is our understanding that, in addition to using resources more efficiently, LEED certification will result in a building that will offer a healthier work environment than a building that is built to regular code requirements,” stated Consolidated Dispatch Board Chairman and North Charleston Police Chief, Jon Zumalt, in a letter to Charleston County Council. “Construction of the Consolidated 9-1-1 Center, having employees in stressful emergency job functions twenty-four hours a day, would be an excellent opportunity to focus on healthy work environment goals as well as environmental sustainability goals.”
For more information on the construction of the Charleston County Consolidated 9-1-1 Center, contact the Charleston County’s Facilities Department at (843) 202-6900