Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center Bags 11 Prestigious Awards – KPA Group is Structural Engineer for Nation's "Greenest" Juvenile Detention Center

Oakland, California, Completion of the new 379,000 sq. ft., 360- bed Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center (ACJJC) located in San Leandro, California has brought praise and recognition to the Design-Build Team including The KPA Group.

The project has earned a total of 11 awards so far including the prestigious Governor's Environmental Economic Leadership Award for 2008, for this $176 million facility construction completed within a record time of 31 months. Hensel Phelps headed the Design Build Team and The KPA Group is the Structural Engineer of record.

Alameda County's General Services Agency (GSA) adopted an integrated team approach with its project partners – Hensel Phelps, a number of design professionals, many local subcontractors and with The KPA Group as the Structural Engineer. At the KPA Group all senior professionals are LEED accredited . The top structural engineering priorities of this project on a difficult site were (a) to create a facility that offered a safe, healthy and comfortable indoor environment to the youth occupants; (b) be a resource efficient and cost effective building that would minimize impact on climate and environmental change. The challage was met and exceeded on a difficult site and numerous constraints. Keith Carson, Alameda County Supervisor says, "This project demonstrates to our region that local government can utilize green building to address climate change in a realistic way."

Hratch Kouyoumdjian, founder and principal, The KPA Group says, "The unique requirements and operations of a Juvenile Detention Facility are such that many typical green features were inappropriate for ACJJC. The entire team had to be innovative to ensure that green features were integrated into the overall design. For example: Locating the multilevel facility on a major hillside such that cuts and fills were balanced, storm runoffs were collected and handled in retention ponds on site, a great number of photovoltaic panels on roofs, and a host of material and system choices."

"Winning the 2008 Governor's Award for Environmental Economic Leadership is sound testimony to the efforts of the team and roles in the ACJJC project. While the bounty of 11 awards is indeed an honor we are proud to be associated with, it increases the onus on everyone to now aim higher and remain dedicated to environmental engineering and leadership in design – a responsibility we work to deliver continually," assured Kouyoumdjian.

The 11 awards won by the ACJJC project include:
- The Governor's Environmental Economic Leadership Award awarded in November 2008.
- California Construction: Best of 2007 Awards Program (Award of Merit: Green Building)
- Design Build Institute of America, Western Pacific Chapter (Design-build Excellence Award – Best Project Public Sector)
- Design-Build Institute of America (National Design-Build Excellence Award: Best Public Sector Building)
- Engineer Design + construction (Excellence in Design Award – Government Building Category)

Karen Smith, Executive Director, StopWaste.org says, "The ACJJC showcases opportunities for waste reduction and green purchasing at all stages of a building's life, from demolition to construction and maintenance."

The KPA Group's projects include some major ones in multiple western US states and internationally in Asia and the Middle East. The firm has completed over 100 projects in seismic evaluations / retrofits, 100+ projects in aviation / airports, and numerous multiple assignments for many universities, developers, municipalities and state agencies. KPA's largest structural project is in excess of $300 million. The KPA Group has also been recently recognized and appreciated for its near flawless architectural engineering services for a new 400-foot long Secure Connector at San Francisco International Airport.

About The KPA Group:
The KPA Group was founded in 1987 by Hratch Kouyoumdjian, SE, as a structural engineering consulting practice. The firm evolved to offer architectural services in 1992 when Robert Riegel, Architect & SE joined in. In 1996 Michael Shanus Architect and Professional Engineer, joined the practice and further increased the firm's capabilities in aviation planning, airline facilities and renovation work. In 1995 Dipak Patel SE, joined the Group adding his very extensive building design experience. These four principals have directed The KPA Group and set values and a vision that focus on serving clients competently and honestly.
As a leading structural engineering, aviation planning and construction design firm, KPA maintains high levels of technical capabilities and extensive experience in major building types. Projects delivered by the firm include both design of new facilities and retrofits of existing facilities. The firm enjoys 20 years of uninterrupted practice, and has completed construction in excess of $1 billion with a claims free record. The KPA Group today is a select, competent group of dedicated professionals all of whom are LEED accredited. As an integrated practice, the firm offers efficiency, a single point of management and direct focus on servicing client needs with creative and timely construction engineering planning, design and build solutions. For more information, please call 510.271.6701 or send an email to hratchk@thekpagroup.com.