The Johnson County Sunset Drive Office Building will be LEED TM Gold certified with a highly flexible floor plan to accommodate the County's changing needs. The facility will consolidate seven County departments currently housed in a variety of facilities.

Located on a wooded site, the two-story building wraps and encloses the central wooded area. The building is organized into a central space located on the line of an existing creek, with two separate wings branching out to the east and west. These wings form the basis of an arc that opens to the south, providing a sense of shelter, enclosure and community.

A public arcade spans the entire south facade on both levels and offers views to the woods and stream below . A walking trail, made from the mulch of trees removed from the site, leads visitors through the woods and around the building. A self-guided tour will guide the public and staff through a variety of environmental features of the building as well as identify native plants and materials.

Public spaces provide maximum convenience for building visitors as well as serves as a buffer to private office areas. This private office zone is completely flexible, featuring demountable wall systems for expansion and contraction of departments and maximum daylighting.

The building plan also includes a demonstration garden, irrigated by roof run-off, to be used for educational exhibits and as an outdoor gathering space.

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Why is this Building Different?

It was designed to provide the Best Value for financial investment - both initially and long term - for the Taxpayer's dollar.

Consolidate County services within one facility in order to achieve greater visibility, accessibility and use to the Public.

Provide a work environment for County staff that will be conducive to and promote innovation, productivity and the enhancement of customer service.

Incorporate sustainable design and development strategies to reduce maintenance and operating costs and diminish negative impacts to the environment.

Create a prominent Civic facility that enhances the Sunset Drive campus and surrounding community, respects the regional vernacular and provides visual legibility and way finding to the customers.

Realize ongoing operational savings by housing three of the departments, currently located in leased space, in a County owned facility.

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Building Facts

• Considered a "High performance" office building
• 127,000 square feet
• $30,050,000 total project budget
• $22,700,000 design and construction
• 17-acre site
• Highly environmentally responsible (LEED TM Gold)

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Environmental Facts

Much care and planning has been done in respect to the environment from the wooded site to the dumping of construction materials. The building's inhabitants will work in a toxic-free workplace.

Environmental elements of the building and program include:

• Responsible Textile Design: Fabric Made From Corn
  • Kira is a proprietary Herman Miller system fabric that’s derived from corn. As a biological nutrient, it can be quickly composted and go back into the soil at the end of its useful life. And Kira meets Greenguard requirements. Like all Herman Miller fabrics, Kira can be used on Herman Miller’s Greenguard certified products, ensuring it’s safe to use indoors.
  • Developed in association with Interface Fabrics Group, Kira’s quality and performance are identical to those associated with conventional fabrics. From an environmental perspective, Kira represents another significant step forward in Herman Miller’s journey to sustainability. It charts a new direction in the use of renewable and sustainable products and processes to create high-quality, high-value solutions for customers committed to environmental responsibility.
• Bicycle Storage and Changing (Shower) Facilities
• Storage racks and changing facilities are being provided for the employees. This encourages employees to ride their bicycles to work. Also encourages fitness/exercise over lunch break for increased health of employees.
• Use of Alternative Fueled Vehicles
  • There will be at least 17 hybrid vehicles on site being used by the departments. Hybrid vehicles combine gas and electric motors for increased efficiency and reduced air pollution.
• Rate and Treatment of Stormwater
  • The amount of stormwater leaving the site will not be increased with this project. The water will be detained to percolate back into the ground. The water will also be treated to keep any pollutants picked up out of the stormwater system.
• Eliminate irrigation for landscaping
  • All landscaping will be native to the region, eliminating the need for additional irrigation (city supply), which can increase strain on the public water supply.
• Gray water system
  • The water coming from the showers' drain will be used for flushing toilets, again reducing the strain on the public water infrastructure.
• Optimized energy performance
  • The building performs 40% better than a similar building, decreasing the cost of utilities and the amount of energy being used.
• Eliminate use of ozone
  • None of the equipment used in the building will create/use ozone depleting chemicals.
• Local and Regional Materials
  • Materials and resources from the Kansas City area were used to reduce the amount of transportation pollution/burden and encourage local businesses/economy.
• Indoor air quality management plan during construction
  • HVAC equipment and absorptive materials are protected during construction to ensure a healthier workplace.
• Daylight and Views
  • The use of natural daylight and direct views to daylight provide for a better work environment. All employees will enjoy views of the landscaping and the tree preservation area.
  • Private offices are kept off the perimeter, to allow all employees to take advantage of the daylight. The offices have their own windows for access to the daylight.
• Building as environmental education
  • The building will be used as an educational case study to inform the citizens of the county on ways they can improve their own homes/businesses.
• Green housekeeping approach
  • The chemicals used in the cleaning of the building will be environmentally friendly, not containing caustic chemicals.
• Reusable Architectural Elements
  • The walls of the private offices are floor-to-ceiling movable walls. When changes need to be made to the layout of the office, the walls are easily relocated as needed without any waste materials, new materials or detriment to the indoor air quality associated with demolition.
  • During initial construction these walls are manufactured in a controlled factory condition and they are installed in a fraction of the time required to construct walls on-site. Therefore less material waste is incurred, fewer trades travel to the site resulting in less transportation energy and pollution.
  • The chosen wall manufacturer uses water based stains and lacquers. This eliminates toxic off gassing from any wood veneer finishes.
• Reusable Technology
  • By using a 'plug & play' solution for data and power cabling can be reconfigured without cutting and disposing of hazardous materials (lead).
• HVAC system flush out
  • The heating and cooling system will be run non-stop for 2 weeks to flush out dust and chemicals from the construction process. At the end of the two weeks, new air filtration will be installed.
• Low-emitting materials
  • Materials that do not off-gas (emit Volatile Organic Compounds) are used in the project to provide an improved indoor working environment. Paint, stains, finishes and other products release chemicals after application. These chemicals can be released for up to 6 months into the working environment, negatively impacting the indoor air quality.

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