David M Rohrer Aviation Center

The Aviation Center is a 16,787 square foot LEED Silver® building that houses the County Police Helicopter Division, including staff office and dispatch spaces, new hangars, a concrete helipad and approach, parking, and associated site improvements. The new center houses a 24/7 mission with a specialized crew working 12-hour shifts. With roughly 150 helicopter missions a month and over 80 medical evacuations a year, solutions implemented within the Aviation Center equipped law enforcement members with the necessary tools to keep the community safe and achieved the division’s “Fly Neighborly” policy, which revolves around reducing noise and disruptions to surrounding residents, achieved through site orientation and careful exterior acoustic design. The exterior of the building was designed to emulate the flight of a helicopter with a sweeping, angled roofline that also maximized interior hangar space based on the program. The exterior materials were selected to balance aesthetics, performance, and cost-effectiveness. Improving the working environment for staff was a project priority. Increasing the efficiency of plumbing, ventilation, and mechanical systems brought significant improvements, as did increasing systems controllability and indoor environmental quality. This project also prioritized occupant health by incorporating wellness features, like a fitness room and break area. Creating a comfortable, high-performing environment for building staff during long shifts and high-stress situations was critical to the project’s success.