The County and Design-Builder implemented various practices to reduce waste during the demolition phase of the project. A few examples include:
• Reuse of furniture, office supplies, fire extinguishers, lights, and interior windows from the existing building in other County buildings and the contractor’s field trailers.
• Pursuing closed loop lifecycle opportunities, e.g. concrete reused for subbase.
• Developing and adapting a Zero Waste Policy.
• Promoting waste reduction in different operational areas, e.g. the jobsite trailer will not have a printer onsite to reduce waste and all construction documents will be available virtually.
• Waste separation & correct infrastructure + education programs + selecting the right partners such as All About Waste, Vanir, and others.
• A dashboard has been designed and displayed on the trailer’s external wall so everyone can see the project diversion rate and other data. This is an important component to keep people engaged and educated.
• Collection points are distributed throughout the site. All the bins are correctly labeled and use images and bi-lingual signage to communicate with the workers.
Reuse efforts will continue during construction with:
• Salvaging and reusing existing marble wall panels and wood panels in the new building lobby.
• Salvaging and reusing existing granite block in the new plaza hardscape.
• Selecting building materials with recycled content.
• Reusing or returning packaging of products or building materials that are delivered to the site.
“What an honor it is for Contra Costa County to lead in sustainability,” said Board Chair Supervisor Karen Mitchoff. “We must continue to work towards sustainable development, zero waste, and eco-friendly living. I am proud of the County’s Public Works department in achieving our goals in sustainability and improving our environment.”
Vice Chair, District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover said, “We can’t fix all the issues we face on creating a more sustainable County overnight, but we have begun. Sustainable innovation projects like the ADR help us move closer to our goal of ensuring that adequate resources are available for future generations.”
“Contra Costa’s effort shows we can help our planet one building at a time. Our diverse communities expect us to lead the way on sustainability and fighting climate change,” said District 1 Supervisor John Gioia, a member of the Board of Supervisors’ Sustainability Committee. “Our former Administration Building serves as a model for what other local government agencies can do when they’re committed to lead sustainably.”
“We are honored that our commitments and efforts towards a more sustainable future are being recognized through the achievement of TRUE pre-certification. This shows that we have a real ability to have a lasting impact on our stewardship of resources while making our County a better place to live and work,” said District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen.
“Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time and TRUE pre-certification shows the County’s dedication to promoting waste reduction, reducing our carbon footprint, and achieving our zero-waste goals,” said District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis.