LOTT’s main administrative building is open Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4 pm. The building houses administrative offices, meeting spaces and the WET Science Center, which operates Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm. This unique building also includes staff facilities and a training room, the Board of Directors meeting room and a water quality laboratory.
The Regional Services Center is located in downtown Olympia near the intersection of Thurston Avenue, Olympia Avenue and Adams Street NE. Free parking is available in the visitor lot to the west of the building, and metered on-street parking is nearby. Buses can be parked temporarily in the bus pullouts in front of the LOTT Regional Services Center for loading and unloading. LOTT offices are open Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4 pm.
The Regional Services Center is designed, built and certified as LEED Platinum for environmental sustainability. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized green building certification system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, and platinum is its highest rating. The building is one way that LOTT demonstrates its commitment to responsible environmental stewardship.
The Regional Services Center is designed, built and certified as LEED Platinum for environmental sustainability. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized green building certification system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, and platinum is its highest rating. The building is one way that LOTT demonstrates its commitment to responsible environmental stewardship.
A cogeneration system at the Budd Inlet Treatment Plant captures methane gas from the treatment process and puts it to work. The gas is scrubbed and sent to an engine generator to produce electricity used in the Regional Services Center. Heat from the engine generator feeds a district heat loop that heats and cools the Regional Services Center and the nearby Hands On Children’s Museum.
Class A reclaimed water produced onsite is used in the decorative fountain and demonstration wetland, to irrigate landscaping on the grounds, as process water in the treatment plant and to flush toilets and urinals in the building. In addition, restrooms in the building feature high-efficiency fixtures such as toilets, faucet aerators and urinals, minimizing the amount of water required.
A portion of the building roof is covered in plants. This living “green roof” helps cool the building in the summer, provides habitat for pollinators, prevents stormwater runoff and reduces the urban heat island effect. As an added bonus, lavender is harvested each summer and used in WET Science Center activities.
The wood used for office walls, reception area and ceilings came from old warehouses in the area that were demolished. Salvaging and reusing this wood reduced waste and the impacts associated with harvesting and purchasing new wood. Carpet tiles and some furnishings are made from recycled materials such as pop bottles. Counters and other surfaces in the building are made of paperstone, which is made from 100% recycled paper.
