Entry number: B08014
Project Name: Washoe County Regional Animal Services Center
Building Type: Educational
Completion Date: November 2005
Architect: Ganthner Melby LLC, Architects & Planners
Building Location: 2825 Longley Ln. Reno, NV 89502

Design Team:
Electrical Engineer: PK Electrical, Inc.
Landscape Architect: Lumos & Associates
General Contractor: United Construction
Structural Engineer: Ferrari Shields & Associates
Civil Engineer: Lumos & Associates
Mechanical Engineer: Rao Engineers
Photographer: Valerie Clark Photography
Consulting Architect: George Miers & Associates

Statement of Design Approach:
There are few animal facilities that share a unique public/private partnership. This project brought together the Washoe County Animal Services and the Nevada Humane Society.

This facility brought to light two separate operational methodologies. One, the policing and control aspect of Animal Services, and the other, assisting homeless dogs and cats, adoption of animals, and public education.

The facility design focused on public education and the areas dedicated to animal/ human interaction, and creating a friendly environment and viewing areas, utilizing natural light throughout.

Narrative:
The new Washoe County Animal Care Center serves the Nevada Humane Society (NHS) and the Washoe County Animal Control Department (WCAC). Both of these organizations share common public and staff parking areas, classrooms, staff lockers, a staff lounge, and euthanasia facilities as well as various building support areas, such as a drive through vehicular sallyport, and mechanical/electrical and maintenance areas.

At the building exterior, particular attention has been given to the creation of an overall unified Animal Care Center imagery, while differentiating the various public entrances relative to the specific services provided at the facility. For example, not only are separate public entrances, provided for the NHS and WCAC portions of the facility, but a number of other entrances noted below, have been provided due to either differentiation of uses, alternate use times or to maintain disease control.

1.0- Nevada Humane Society
1.1- Main Adoption Education Entrance
1.2- Owner Surrender Lobby
1.3- Public Clinic (Separate Dog and Cat Entrances) 1.4- Classrooms (shared with WCAC)

2.0- Washoe County Animal Services Department 2.1- Stray Retrieval and Information Lobby
2.2- Public "Stray" Surrender Lobby
2.3- After Hours "Night Drop"

Internally, both portions of the facility are organized around 1) exterior garden areas containing indoor/outdoor kennels and 2) the desired flow of animals in and out of the facility. The indoor/ outdoor kennel design contains a number of unique features including 1) the ability for the public to easily access stray and adoptable dogs and cats via a covered/indoor/outdoor walkway connection, during both good and inclement weather; 2) adjacent outdoor and indoor "Get Acquainted" areas for adoptable animals; 3) efficient and safe cleaning systems utilizing "piped" chemicals which are transported through stainless steel tubing to staff controlled hose controls, and 4) the compartmentalization of kennels into smaller groups of 6 to 8 in order to reduce barking and animal stress and to maintain a friendly and positive scale for the overall project.

The exterior design features use of indigenous "river rock" stone along the main public entrance facades along with the use of a complimentary split-faced CMU (concrete block) at animal holding areas and cement plaster at non-animal areas. Roof material varies from painted metal standing seam at the Dog Adoption/Holding Gardens and at the NHS high roof, to membrane roofing with rigid insulation at flat roof areas. Exterior covered walkways consist of painted steel columns, translucent skylights and flat roofs with painted metal fascias.

Sustainable Description:

• Heating, cooling and water for this facility are critical and have the greatest impact on the operational costs.
• The building has been isolated into small operation building blocks addressing the demands on the utilities.
• Landscaping utilizes a drip system and drought tolerant plantings to minimize water usage. A unique water control system controls water usage in the kennel flush systems.
• Local/regional materials have been utilized.
• Skylights, a clerestory and windows provide natural light to the work areas and hallways.