DURHAM, N.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) recently awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) v4 Platinum certification to the new Durham County Youth Home.
The facility serves to reduce recidivism among residents and to improve their reintegration into the community.
Beginning in March 2020 (at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic) Moseley Architects teamed up with project managers from Durham County Engineering and Environmental Services, Bordeaux Construction and youth home administrators to design a modernized, effective environment through an integrative process. Together, the team fashioned a high-efficiency structure, reflecting a dedication to optimizing the built and natural environments.
The team embraced the philosophy that every space should be worthy of the people who spend time within it—whether residents, staff or administration. The design hinges on the use of biophilic materials and high-quality finishes, and the result creates a more normative, engaging and supportive space that still meets the demands of a high-security structure.
The Durham County Youth Home is the county’s first LEEDv4 Platinum facility, the highest level of LEED certification available. To reach this standard, the team used energy modeling to compare systems during design, aiming to select the most energy efficient, financially beneficial option that would minimize the facility’s environmental impact.
As a result, the building and its site have numerous sustainable initiatives, including:
- Geothermal HVAC and rooftop photovoltaic systems, designed to reduce energy consumption by 46 percent, saving an estimated $25,000 in energy costs annually.
- Low-flow fixtures, designed to reduce potable water use by 43 percent, or 255,653 gallons, annually.
- Submetering of indoor plumbing fixtures and domestic hot water to identify issues, such as leaks, before they become serious problems.
- Careful selection of products that contain recycled content, bio-based materials were responsibly sourced and have an environmentally, economically and socially preferable life cycle impact.
- Use of low-emitting adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, flooring, ceilings, insulation and composite wood products during construction as a strategy to protect the health of both those who built the facility and residents.
- Diversion of 83 percent, or 1819 tons, of construction waste from the landfill.
- Restoration of 45 percent of previously disturbed areas with native or adapted vegetation.
- Electric vehicle charging stations to support sustainable transportation.
A focus on dignity and overall wellness was also invaluable to the design’s sustainability. For example, the building includes bright spaces with access to natural daylight and wall-to-wall soft flooring that assists with acoustics while visually tempering a conventionally hard environment. These details transform the facility into one that nurtures rehabilitation and fosters a safer environment for its residents and staff.
To assist in reaching these goals, the team organized a palette of materials that could handle heavy daily use, while also showing resilience against such catastrophes as weather events and power outages. Strong attention to these design elements was vital in supporting the building’s inherent safety and long-term efficiency over the course of its useful life.
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