County earns sustainability honors for Sheriff’s Office Support Facility in Nokomis

Green Building Initiative awards county two Green Globes

This is the Sheriff Tom Knight Support Services Facility in Nokomis. Image courtesy Sarasota County

Sarasota County Government has earned two Green Globes from the Green Building Initiative (GBI) for the Sheriff Tom Knight Support Services Facility in Nokomis, the county has announced.

“The facility, whose construction was a joint effort between Sarasota County’s Capital Projects team and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), was lauded by GBI for its commitment to sustainability practices and reducing environmental impacts,” a news release points out.

The building opened last year.

“To earn Green Globes from GBI,” the release continues, “a facility must meet certain criteria. An independent third-party assessor evaluates facets of the design in regard to categories such as energy and water use, site location, emissions, and the indoor environment. The Sheriff’s Office facility earned high marks for all of the verified building features, the release adds, including the fact that it has the largest solar array of any county-built facility.

“This is an outstanding accomplishment,” said Sarasota County Administrator Jonathan Lewis in the release. “To be able to construct a facility that provides a valuable service to both the community and the environment is incredible. I’m proud of the work staff has done to achieve this goal.”

The facility serves as the hub for the Sheriff’s Office’s Fleet Services division, the release explains. It also encompasses administrative offices, a property storage area and other functions vital to department operations, the release notes.

Comprising nearly 43,000 square feet, the building is designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 170 mph, the release adds. It has 12 maintenance bays and six radio shop bays; the maintenance bays can service up to 250 vehicles per day, the release points out.

The new facility replaced one that was located on Old Venice Road; that structure served the community for more than 38 years, the release adds. The new building stands at 16501 Honore Ave. in Nokomis.