The Arcadia Mental Health Center is an 11,760-square-foot healthcare project located in Arcadia, CA. Verdical Group provided:

• LEED Project Management (BD+C v3 Silver Certified)
• CALGreen Commissioning
• LEED Fundamental Commissioning

The Arcadia Mental Health Center is a single-story mental health clinic owned by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. The clinic was built to accommodate 2,400 outpatients annually. A major project goal included providing a healthy environment for the Center’s patients.

The project is situated in a walkable area within a half mile of many basic services that occupants can easily walk to without a car, including restaurants, a bank, grocery stores, and a post office. The building is also situated with easy walking access to two public bus lines within a quarter mile of the project, which promotes the use of public transportation rather than private vehicles. More than 78 percent of site open space is vegetated with a selection of native and drought tolerant plant species. Natural vegetation is close at hand, but irrigation water needs have been minimized with a 51 percent reduction in landscape potable water use.

Patient access to natural light and views was prioritized at the Arcadia Mental Health Center. Due to very limited project site area, a narrow building footprint and glazing scheme was developed that lends itself well to providing abundant daylight and views opportunities. The project capitalized on natural light by providing 90 percent of regularly occupied spaces with daylight and 96 percent of regularly occupied spaces with a view to the outdoors. The project used LED lighting with individual controls of switches and occupancy sensors to reduce energy load where electricity is required.

To maximize indoor air quality for patients, the project team specified adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, flooring systems, composite wood, and agri-fiber products which emit very low levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). In order to maintain a healthy occupant environment post occupancy, the project team implemented a Green Cleaning Program to address ongoing indoor air quality standards and limit occupants’ exposure to VOC’s and other potentially harmful chemicals during the project’s ongoing operations.