Amherst, MA – A new 27,500 square foot, high-tech police station constructed by the UMASS Building Authority opened today on the campus of UMASS Amherst, bringing attention to the school’s renewed focus on campus safety.
The state of the art facility features a new dispatch center, a crime evidence lab and an Emergency Operation Center. The building has received a 2011 Excellence in Construction Award by the Associated Builders and Contractors and will be the first LEED certified facility on the UMASS Amherst campus.
The new headquarters, which will allow for staff growth from 68 to 80 over the next ten years, is equipped with enhanced day-to-day radio interoperability with police departments from surrounding areas as well as the Federal Emergency Agency, the Mass Emergency Management Agency and Mass State Police. For the first time, the UMA-PD has a crime evidence laboratory and an Emergency Operation Center (EOC) for critical management of operations during a campus, regional, or national emergency and disasters.
“This new center for public safety is a model for other schools,” said Henry Thomas III of the UMASS Building Authority and Board of Trustees.” It gives students, faculty and members of the community peace of mind that any situation can be handled safely and securely.”
Following benchmarks for green building design, the station uses 43% less energy than a standard building. At least 90% of the construction waste was diverted from landfills to recycling centers. At least 20% of all materials in the building are “Recycled Content Materials.” At least 20% of all materials in the building are “Regional Materials” manufactured within 500 miles of site (thus reducing fuel required for transport). At least 50% of all wood products are FSC certified (rapidly renewable resource). Paints, adhesives, and sealants are low VOC products. Lighting and HVAC systems are controlled by occupancy sensors and air quality. The facility uses 40% less water than standard building of the same type.
A “Green” kiosk in the lobby of the station provides visitors with educational information about the building’s “green” features and the will exhibit live data regarding the building’s energy consumption.
Currently, more than 20 UMBA projects valued in excess of $1.2 billion are under way on all five UMass campuses. These projects include construction of the Albert Sherman Center at the Worcester Medical School, a $432 million research facility that will be in the forefront of the nation’s battle against cancer. Construction of the Sherman Center will generate $400 million in direct construction spending and create 6,000 jobs. Upon completion, the Center will support 1600 permanent jobs and $264 million in annual revenue. The Sherman Center will be the new laboratory for Dr. Craig Mello, who won a Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking work on how genes control cell activity.
Other recent UMBA projects include the Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center (M2D2) in Lowell, the Edward M. Kennedy Institute and an academic building in Boston; the Emerging Technology and Innovation Center.
The University of Massachusetts Building Authority (UMBA) is a major economic engine in the state, generating thousands of jobs and millions in revenue at a time when both are badly needed. In particular, UMBA has been a lifeline for the construction industry, which has suffered greatly during the recent economic downturn.