A testament to the city of Santa Clarita’s commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency, the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station and Canyon Country Community Center have been awarded LEED Silver certification.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and an international symbol of excellence.

The new Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station is a 46,000-square-foot facility on Golden Valley Road that opened in 2021. When it was being built, over 75% of construction waste was recycled or diverted to keep as much material out of the landfill as possible.

Both the Sheriff’s Station facility and maintenance building use light-colored roofing materials to reflect light and keep the roof cooler. Natural light is used throughout the building, and indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures operate on sensors to reduce energy requirements.

Bio-filtration basins are integrated into the parking lot to provide first flush treatment of water onsite before entering the storm drain system.

The Canyon Country Community Center is a 25,000-square-foot facility at the corner of Soledad Canyon Road and Sierra Highway. The Community Center features a gymnasium, classroom space, a demonstration kitchen,  multipurpose room, an outdoor event area, a playground and numerous other amenities.

During construction, a massive storm water infiltration system was installed underneath the Mercado and north parking lots. This system captures and treats polluted storm water from Sierra Highway before it reaches the Santa Clara River.

It also recharges the groundwater supply by capturing eight acre-feet of water for every one-inch rain event and slowly releasing it into the groundwater system. In early 2022, the City of Santa Clarita received over nine inches of rainfall, which resulted in an estimated 14 million gallons of storm water captured by this system, enough for 130,000 residents’ daily use.

The two projects achieved LEED Silver certification by implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions in areas that include sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

According to the USGBC, certification is proof that a building is going above and beyond to ensure the space is constructed and operated to the highest level of sustainability.

For more information on the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station and Canyon Country Community Center projects, please contact the City of Santa Clarita by phone at (661) 259-2489.