Five Points Correctional Facility – Residential Mental Health Unit

LEED Gold-Certified Mental Health Unit for Maximum-Security Inmates

LaBella, in affiliation with the New York State Office of General Services (NYS OGS) and Department of Correctional Services (DCS), led a large and diverse group of architects, engineers, and specialty designers in the design of a two-story, 69,500 sq. ft. Residential Mental Health Unit (RMHU) building at Five Points Correctional Facility. The new unit will be operated jointly by the DCS and the Office of Mental Health (OMH).

The RMHU, which is a steel-framed building with a slab-on-grade construction, is designed to provide housing, programming, therapy, and medical services for maximum-security inmates with various mental health difficulties who might otherwise be housed in Special Housing Unit (SHU) facilities. The unit is connected to the existing main corridor and is located near health services and visitation areas. The existing utility infrastructure allows for convenient connections for staff, inmates, and building services. The building also provides office space for both the DCS and the OMH.

The RMHU project was designed in accordance with Executive Order 111 (EO 111) requirements and to LEED New Construction (NC2.2) Standards.

This project’s LEED Gold Certified design included the following:

Construction Activity Pollution Prevention Site Selection

The construction site was completely within existing complex boundaries and does not infringe on prime farm land, flood plain areas, and endangered species habitat.

Site Development

The design maximizes open space by providing a vegetated open area adjacent to the building that is approximately equal to the building footprint.

Heat Island Effect

The roofing was designed to minimize the amount of summertime heat transmitted from the building roof into the atmosphere, thereby minimizing the effect the roof has on the air temperatures of its immediate surrounding area.

Water Use Reduction

Water-conserving plumbing fixtures and automatic water control systems were integrated into the project design.

Recycled Content

Construction materials with high recycled content were specified.

Construction Waste Management

Contract Documents called for contractors to recycle and/or salvage at least 75% of non-hazardous construction and demolition debris.

Regional Materials

10% of the project materials were extracted, processed, and manufactured regionally.

Optimized Energy Performance

Multiple energy conservation measures were analyzed for their cost effectiveness, and long-term operability and maintainability. Items from the analysis that were integrated into the project comprised radiant floor heating, solar walls that preheat ventilation air, radiant slab temperature stabilization, domestic water controls in inmate cells, interior lighting control.