New DPW Building: On Time and Under Budget

The new Department of Public Works Building on Route 20 is just two months from completion, and is coming in $1 million under budget, according to town officials.

DPW Director of Operations Robert Hoffman said the building has some of the latest in green technology, complete with solar panels, geothermal heating and cooling system, heat reflecting windows, and a system that captures rain water for other uses.

At the same time, Hoffman said there was no cost overruns for the project, which has come in well under budget.

Town manager Donna VanderClock said she was pleased with the project, and that the new DPW building would provide a "much improved" work environment and place all the DPW employees in one central location, which would result in better "coordination, productivity and accountability."

She credited the Permanent Building Committee (PBC) and the facilities director "for their diligence in overseeing the project."

Most of the green technology at the new building is state-of-the-art, according to Hoffman.

Two 1500-foot deep wells* that are included in the new building are part of the geothermal system, said Hoffman. It took builders five** weeks to complete the drilling, pull out the rocks and dirt and truck it away.

According to documents from the PBC, the landscaping is designed so that no irrigation is required. The building also has a high amount of insulation to prevent heat loss and skylights are used to reduce the need for artificial lighting.

In addition, materials used for the construction of the building were made of recycled material, said the PBC.

While the builders followed Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) environmental standards for constructing the building, the certification was not obtained because of the high cost, he said.

Construction according to LEED involves standards regarding "site selection, water efficiency, energy systems, materials and resources and indoor environmental quality," according to the Weston Climate Group, which helped design the building.

According to the PBC, the town will pursue an independent evaluation to make sure that the facility meets the design specifications.

At this point in time, the heating and lighting systems are 95 percent completed, while the rest of the building is about 85 percent along, said Hoffman. Most of the site work is finished, but some paving and interior finishes remain.

Left to be completed inside is installing tile, carpet and linoleum. Hoffman said that the heat could be turned on in 4 weeks, and predicts the DPW can start to move in on Dec. 26.

Check back for Monday's Weston Patch to see a slideshow tour of the building in progress.

*The article originally said 500 feet, but the correct number is 1,500 feet.

**The article originally said four weeks, but the correct number is five weeks.