RPA Engineering has relocated to larger headquarters in Wyomissing, Pa., to accommodate continued growth. The renovated 12,000-sq-ft headquarters building is located at 400 Spring Ridge Dr., just off Rt. 222 and minutes from the firm’s previous location in Berks County.
RPA Engineering is renovating its new office building to achieve certification under the New Construction and Major Renovations section of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The firm is pursuing the Certified Level, which requires that the company earn 40-49 points of a possible 110 points for environmentally friendly features.
“We are transforming our business by expanding our headquarters to better serve our customers,” explained Richard P. Aulenbach Jr., P.E., president and founder of RPA Engineering. “We also are demonstrating our best building practices and our commitment to the globally recognized LEED certification program.”
According to Jeremy McKeon, LEED green associate and structural engineer for RPA Engineering, the following are some of the features that will qualify firm’s headquarters building for LEED certification:
- New energy-efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit
- Low-flow toilets and urinals
- Carpeting, paint and floor sealants with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
- Recycled cork flooring
- A rain garden for onsite storm water management, and
- Designated parking spots for carpools and fuel-efficient vehicles
“In addition, we have used computer modeling to create a more energy-efficient office design and have purchased refurbished or recycled office furniture rather new,” explained McKeon. “To help minimize waste, we also diverted over 75 percent of our demolished or leftover construction materials from landfills by recycling or donating it.
“We hope that by modeling environmental responsibility in our renovations, we can help inspire our clients, neighbors and other Berks County businesses to join us in finding creative ways to reduce our collective impact on our environment.”