FHI Newsletter

“LEED”ING THE WAY IN BRIDGEPORT

These days, you can’t go anywhere without hearing about sustainability. Good environmental practice tells us that if we do not plan for the future and develop ways to reduce our reliance on certain environmental resources, those resources may not be around for us in the future. In fact, FHI’s own vision calls for helping communities implement sustainable development. One of our clients which is taking sustainability to heart is the Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority (GBTA).

The need for a new maintenance and operations facility, coupled with the desire for sustainability, resulted in a building design with green features throughout. The new GBTA maintenance and operations facility will not only have enough space to repair and store an expanded fleet of buses, it will be a leader in green design.

Above: part of the current maintenance facility. The new facility will provide additional space to repair and store GBTA’s fleet of buses.

GBTA provides fixed route and paratransit public transportation service throughout the City of Bridgeport and the surrounding towns of Fairfield, Stratford, and Trumbull. GBTA’s existing facility houses all of the administrative, bus storage, and maintenance functions associated with its current fleet. In the 23 years since moving into their facility, GBTA has experienced increased ridership and staffing levels, and is now anticipating growth in its bus fleet which will render the current facilities beyond their capacity. To accommodate this anticipated growth, the new GBTA facility will not only provide adequate, safe, and efficient space for employees and transit vehicles, but will also include sustainable design features.

Working with GBTA and its architect, Wendel Duchscherer Architects and Engineers, P.C., FHI is helping advance a facility expansion that incorporates “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” (LEED) standards as well as other state-of-the-art green building measures, making the GBTA a leader in sustainable design in the Bridgeport community. FHI’s role is preparation of federal and state level environmental documentation per the requirements of both National and Connecticut Environmental Policy Acts.

The objectives of sustainable design are to reduce consumption of non-renewable resources, minimize waste, and create healthy, productive environments. Some sustainable design features of the proposed GBTA facility include:

On-site power generation through photovoltaics and/or wind turbines;
A 70,000-square foot vegetative roof (green roof) that will reduce stormwater runoff, extend the life of the roof, and provide a source of non-potable gray water for used in irrigating outdoor landscaping as well as for indoor building needs (e.g., toilet flushing). The green roof will also add much-needed green space to the surrounding urban setting.
Recycling rinse water used in the vehicle wash and recycling transmission fluid in special receptacles.
Re-using or recycling materials from the existing GBTA facility during construction.
Using renewable resources such as “plyboo” (plywood made from bamboo) to construct the new facility.

The design of the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems will also optimize energy savings and are being designed to achieve a Silver LEED rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. By incorporating LEED principles and sustainable features into the design, the new GBTA facility will become an asset to the City of Bridgeport and a model for other transit maintenance facilities nationwide.

Part of FHI’s stated vision is to “strive for synergy as we integrate environmental stewardship, mobility, public involvement, and land use strategies into planning”. As such, FHI is very pleased to play a role in the design of this “leeding” edge facility!


• Transportation Planning • Environmental Planning • Cultural Resource Services • • Public Involvement • Community & Site Planning • GIS/Technical •

In this Issue: From the Prez... Helping Kids Stay Safe...and Fit! Airport Projects Soar Sustainable Transit Facility Design The Interstate 81 Dilemma FHI Staff Notes	“LEED”ING THE WAY IN BRIDGEPORT These days, you can’t go anywhere without hearing about sustainability. Good environmental practice tells us that if we do not plan for the future and develop ways to reduce our reliance on certain environmental resources, those resources may not be around for us in the future. In fact, FHI’s own vision calls for helping communities implement sustainable development. One of our clients which is taking sustainability to heart is the Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority (GBTA). The need for a new maintenance and operations facility, coupled with the desire for sustainability, resulted in a building design with green features throughout. The new GBTA maintenance and operations facility will not only have enough space to repair and store an expanded fleet of buses, it will be a leader in green design. Above: part of the current maintenance facility. The new facility will provide additional space to repair and store GBTA’s fleet of buses. GBTA provides fixed route and paratransit public transportation service throughout the City of Bridgeport and the surrounding towns of Fairfield, Stratford, and Trumbull. GBTA’s existing facility houses all of the administrative, bus storage, and maintenance functions associated with its current fleet. In the 23 years since moving into their facility, GBTA has experienced increased ridership and staffing levels, and is now anticipating growth in its bus fleet which will render the current facilities beyond their capacity. To accommodate this anticipated growth, the new GBTA facility will not only provide adequate, safe, and efficient space for employees and transit vehicles, but will also include sustainable design features. Working with GBTA and its architect, Wendel Duchscherer Architects and Engineers, P.C., FHI is helping advance a facility expansion that incorporates “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” (LEED) standards as well as other state-of-the-art green building measures, making the GBTA a leader in sustainable design in the Bridgeport community. FHI’s role is preparation of federal and state level environmental documentation per the requirements of both National and Connecticut Environmental Policy Acts. The objectives of sustainable design are to reduce consumption of non-renewable resources, minimize waste, and create healthy, productive environments. Some sustainable design features of the proposed GBTA facility include: On-site power generation through photovoltaics and/or wind turbines; A 70,000-square foot vegetative roof (green roof) that will reduce stormwater runoff, extend the life of the roof, and provide a source of non-potable gray water for used in irrigating outdoor landscaping as well as for indoor building needs (e.g., toilet flushing). The green roof will also add much-needed green space to the surrounding urban setting. Recycling rinse water used in the vehicle wash and recycling transmission fluid in special receptacles. Re-using or recycling materials from the existing GBTA facility during construction. Using renewable resources such as “plyboo” (plywood made from bamboo) to construct the new facility. The design of the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems will also optimize energy savings and are being designed to achieve a Silver LEED rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. By incorporating LEED principles and sustainable features into the design, the new GBTA facility will become an asset to the City of Bridgeport and a model for other transit maintenance facilities nationwide. Part of FHI’s stated vision is to “strive for synergy as we integrate environmental stewardship, mobility, public involvement, and land use strategies into planning”. As such, FHI is very pleased to play a role in the design of this “leeding” edge facility!