MEP Design and Construction Services - South Florida

The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is a regional governmental agency that oversees the water resources in the southern half of the state, from Orlando to the Florida Keys. To continue its mission and fortify its operations against inclement weather, SFWMD wanted to consolidate three facilities into one environmental services laboratory.

Erdman Anthony provided design services in support of the consolidation, which included the demolition of a two-story building in order to make way for a 36,000-square-foot facility.

Our firm also provided civil engineering, mechanical (HVAC), electrical, and plumbing engineering, and project management. As the prime consultant, our designs included sustainable features such as:

• Rooftop solar panels
• A water cistern for reusing process water for a gray-water system
• Pervious concrete pavement
• Xeriscape grounds
• Energy- and water-efficient fixtures
• A thermal ice storage system for the cooling system
• Well-placed shaded windows to provide outdoor views and natural lighting

Our Building Information Modeling (BIM) design and project-information management tools helped us track and manage documents and contractor submittals, hold web-based meetings to connect the geographically dispersed design team, and establish extensive quality control and peer-review processes to help produce a superior set of plans.

The result was a project that was well under the $13 million budget.

The new facility is state-of-the-art, capable of resisting high-wind velocities with limited or no damage and has the emergency backup systems to sustain operations for seven days—crucial for an agency that must withstand severe weather.

SFWMD achieved LEED Gold certification for this facility, which demonstrates the agency’s commitment to green building.

Sustainable Design Impact The facility’s cistern recovers 2,000 gallons of water per day and has reduced on-site potable water use by at least 50%.  Energy- and water-efficient fixtures, rooftop solar panels, and low-maintenance landscaping are among other green features at the facility.