RALEIGH, NC The renovated Phase III wing of Wake Technical Community College's public safety training center recently earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification with the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Designed by Moseley Architects and built by Holt Brothers Construction, its completion marks the culmination of a multi-phased effort to update the 100,000-square-foot public safety education campus in accordance with the college's mission for sustainable growth.

Obtaining LEED certification for a portion of the building added to the complexity of the project.

The LEED certification rating system measured the environmental performance and resource efficiency of the renovation project's design and its construction. Features that contributed to the building's high score include:

Low-flow plumbing fixtures that reduce water use by more than 30 percent
20 percent of the building materials, including the central maintenance unit, carpet tile, fabricated rebar, metal framing, insulation, gypsum board, marker boards, and lockers, made with recycled content
32 percent of the building materials manufactured and extracted within 500 miles of the project site to support the local economy and reduce caused in transportation
Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood-based building materials harvested from responsibly managed forests
Low-emitting materials, including adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, composite wood, and agrifiber products, that reduce harmful indoor air contaminants
Green housekeeping and integrated pest management policies to provide a safer, healthier indoor environment by reducing potentially hazardous chemical, biological, and particulate contaminants
Bicycle storage, preferred parking spaces for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles, and proximity to bus stops that encourage the use of alternative transportation

The 35,000-square-foot renovated wing now houses classrooms, defensive tactics training rooms, vocational and barbering labs, and staff offices. New firearms training spaces include a simulator room and a 12-lane firing range on the basement level.