Granite Construction
Regional Corporate Office,
Bakersfield, Calif.

Klassen Corporation performed design-build services for Granite Corporation's new Bakersfield Branch Office. The project was recognized with a Beautiful Bakersfield Award in Architecture from the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce.

Completed in August 2009, Granite's new 25,296 square foot branch office boasts a number of sustainability design features that aid in the functionality, comfort, efficiency and health of its staff.

Comprehensive Day Lighting Design

• Perimeter overhangs for window shading aids in glare reduction and occupant comfort.
• Window tinting.
• Significant amount of day lighting in space.
• A courtyard design for added day lighting into offices and to provide a protected open space for employees.

Energy and Resource Efficiencies

• Automatic flush toilets and urinals in restrooms.
• Sensor faucets in restrooms.
• A 100% Onsite Storm Water Retention
• High efficiency HVAC units.
• Individually programmable thermostat zones, with timers.
• Brownfield Redevelopment - site was reclaimed and prepared for construction by excavating out a pit approximately 25 feet deep and refilled with clean soil.
• Bi-level light switches in all offices, allowing staff to use a combination of natural or day lighting to illuminate their work stations.
• Motion detector light switches in 90% of offices.
• Energy efficient light fixtures utilizing fluorescents at 277 volts, thus minimizing power loss due long stretches of wire.

Materials

• An environmentally friendly structure. The primary building is a Nucor Pre-Engineered Metal building. Nucor uses over 80% recycled steel. Further all steel used in Nucor buildings is 100% recyclable in the future, in other words the material used in this project may again be processed through recycling in the future.
• Stained, polished concrete in interior high traffic areas.
• Drought tolerant landscaping, with no turf.
• Landscape materials (rock) from our Arvin quarry, which is located approximately 30 miles from the new building.
• White cap sheet roofing material used to qualify for cool roof requirements and minimize heat gain.
• New furniture made of sustainable materials.

Amenities

• 50 offices
• Five conference rooms
• Large training center
• Two break rooms
• A number of open areas for print/copy equipment
• Private atrium at center of structure
• Open office layout and use of modular furniture systems creates future flexibility for growth.

In designing the new 25,296 square foot branch office for Granite Construction, the current operational and future needs for the anticipated growth of the Bakersfield region were taken into consideration.  Granite Construction sited the facility on land which had been previously mined by its operations over a number of years. The reuse of this acreage is a positive example of Brownfield Redevelopment -- revitalizing previously unusable land.  

Reclaiming and repurposing existing Granite Construction property, the new 25,000 plus square foot Bakersfield Branch Office was designed and built by Klassen Corporation utilizing a number of sustainable design features. The final structure is considered a showcase property as it is the first building of its kind in the area.