New 'Green' HQ's building nears completion

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Minnie Jones
  • 433 Airlift Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas --  The new  433rd Airlift Wing Headquarters building, with a price tag of over $7.4 million and 14,520 sq. ft. in space , is scheduled to be completed sometime in late August or early September, according to Project Manager Edward Medina, 802nd Civil Engineering Squadron.

Emmett Billiot, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Quality Assurance Representative, said the construction is about 80 percent complete and major work efforts this month are focusing on completing the interior and furnishing the offices. In addition, site grading, paving and landscaping are currently being completed as well.

The purpose of the new "Green" building will bring together under one roof all the headquarters staff agencies. Currently, several offices are located in different buildings throughout the 433rd AW compound. The Judge Advocate and finance offices are located in the 433rd Mission Support building, and the Equal Opportunity offices are located in Building 817.

In addition, co-locating all of the wing staff agencies to the new building, the move will provide more room in Building 909 for the433rd Medical Group and the 433rd Aerospace Medicine Squadron's command medical staff. The moves will allow for the renovation of their current work centers.

"The new building was built according to standards established by the U.S. Green Building Council based in Washington, D.C.," said Capt. David Shaw, Readiness and Emergency Management Flight commander, 433rd Civil Engineering Squadron.

"The design standard is called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED, which is designed to maximize energy efficiency and make the most of renewable, sustainable resources such as low-flow plumbing fixtures and zero or drought tolerant landscaping."

These resources, called project characteristics receive credits towards a specific LEED level of certification. The Green Building Certification Institute can award a level of certification, i.e. LEED Certified®, LEED Silver®, LEED Gold®, or LEED Platinum®, based on the points a building receives. This building will be awarded a LEED Silver® Green Building Certification.

"The forthcoming LEED Silver certification on the headquarters facility is further proof of the Air Force's commitment to sustainable building practices that have a heavy emphasis on energy and water reductions," said Medina.

Col. Aaron Vangelisti, 433rd AW vice commander, Shaw and a team of wing staff personnel viewed the building during an earlier phase of completion in March.

"The new building looks outstanding," said Vangelisti. "The significant investment in this new Wing Headquarters' building and the modernization of several of our existing facilities stand as a testament to the viability and bright future of the Alamo Wing."