Water Treatment Plant 4
Administration Building

6708 North FM 620, Austin TX 78730

NEGRETE & KOLAR ARCHITECTS
CITY OF AUSTIN
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT | PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Awarded LEED GOLD for New Construction | July 2018

Water Treatment Plant 4 (WTP4) is Austin’s newest water treatment facility. The plant can treat more than 50 million gallons of water per day. With WTP4, Austin Water hopes to address rising problems of demand and reliability - a result of the growing population of Austin and the aging of water infrastructure. The LEED Gold Certified Administration building, which contains offices, conference rooms, and the control room, serves as the headquarters for the entire plant.

The site design preserves 70% of the total site area by restoring its natural habitat through native planting. It also implements a stormwater management plan that protects stormwater channels from erosion. The building design claims to reduce energy cost by 48% and energy consumption by 46%. Strategies such as high efficiency glazing, reduced lighting power and water source heat pumps allow the building to be energy efficient. Additionally, the project uses wind energy, through Texas GreenChoice to power 100% of the facility’s electricity needs.

The administration building boasts an innovative and energy efficient design that embraces an industrial aesthetic; the design responds not only to the function of keeping Austin’s water supply clean but also to the goal of keeping Austin’s environment clean.
REDUCES ENERGY CONSUMPTION

Energy Use

Energy Cost

The Water Treatment Plant 4’s Administration Building incorporates simple but effective measures to reduce energy usage, and subsequently energy costs. Strategies include an improved thermal envelope, high efficiency glazing, reduced lighting power, occupancy sensors, and water source heat pumps. The project’s total refrigerant impact is 55.8 per ton, which is significantly less than the maximum allowable value of 100. All heating and cooling are achieved through water source heat pumps using raw lake water from the water plant as a heat sink.

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REDUCES POTABLE WATER USE

Water Use

Water Treatment Plant 4's Administration Building is an exemplary LEED project that reduces water consumption by using strategies such as rotating stream sprinklers and check valves in the irrigation system, as well as low-flow fixtures for admin building functions, saving thousands of gallons of potable water annually.

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DIVERTS MATERIAL FROM LANDFILL

Landfill Waste

86% of WTP4 Administration Building's construction waste are diverted from the landfill to off-site uses or collection services. Construction and demolition costs were reduced through lower landfill dumping fees and reusing materials.

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REDUCES AND REUSES MATERIALS

Recycled Material Content

The WTP4's Admin Building is committed to recycled materials for at least 50% of total construction materials, 11% of which are purchased regionally. This mitigates the need to transport large quantities of materials, saving carbon emissions otherwise created by vehicle use.

Where does regional material come from? 

A portion of the materials are purchased from within 500 miles of the site.

PROMOTES ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION

What about shared transportation?

Strategies of promoting alternative methods of travel are important design decisions to incorporate into each project, because these strategies reduce the carbon emissions associated with vehicular commutes. The WTP4 Admin building reduces vehicular carbon emissions by reserving preferred parking for carpooling employees and visitors to encourage emissions savings. 2 alternative fuel charging stations and plenty of bicycle parking with easy access to showers create an advantageous environment for commuters to help save the environment.

Methods of Travel

IMPROVES INDOOR EXPERIENCE

VOC Content

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are chemicals that evaporate at room temperature which are emitted by a wide array of products including paints, cleaning supplies, air fresheners and building materials. They can be injurious to the central nervous system and are suspected carcinogens. WTP4's design boasts 4 out of 4 LEED credits for low VOC content in their choice of materials, including composite wood and AgriFiber products that contain no added urea-formaldehyde content, as well as carpet systems that meet the standards of Carpet and Rug Institute's Green Label Plus program.

Regularly Occupied Spaces
with Access to Views

A well-lit work environment creates a better working experience for employees. At WTP4's Administration building, an 99% of regularly occupied rooms have access to views of the surrounding preserved habitat on which it is situated. Furthermore, 100% of the rooms have lighting controls which include roll up mesh shades, blackout shades, dimmable light switches and task lamps for adjustable lighting conditions.