Sonoma County opens fleet facility

A 21,000-square-foot facility for servicing Sonoma County's vehicle fleet has been completed on the northwest corner of the county campus at the west end of Russell Avenue.

The $9.5 million project was completed by Alten Construction (AltenConstruction.com), a San Francisco Bay Area commercial construction company.

The Fleet and Materials Lab was designed by Kwan Henmi Architecture & Planning, and built by Alten Construction.

That company described the facility as being designed to incorporate solar panels on the roofs and bio-swales on site that capture storm-water runoff and improve ground water absorption. Inside the service area, radiant heating and insulation regulate temperature fluctuations, providing a comfortable work environment and allowing for sensible energy use. A Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver green building certification is pending.

The new facility, which will also be used for testing and analysis of soil and paving materials, needed to be relocated due to planned new courthouse construction.

Sonoma County has earned 30 awards since 2009 including 19 related to sustainability efforts and successes in managing its fleet, including being named the No. 1 Government Green Fleet in North America and recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency with a Clean Air Excellence Award for Transportation Efficiency Innovations in 2015. The fleet facility includes electric charging stations for 20 of the county's 49 electric vehicles.