Ward Associates, P.C.

Amityville Village Hall, designed by Ward Associates, P.C. Architects, Landscape Architects and Engineers, has received numerous recognition by local and regional leaders in energy efficiency development.

Since its completion in March 2009, the 9.2 million-dollar municipal building has received LEED "Gold" rating as certified by U.S. Green Building Council, and was honored as the 2009 "Top Green Project" by Long Island Business News.  In addition, the energy savings achieved by the Village Hall earned the Village of Amityville the title of "Municipal Leader for Energy Efficiency" by Northeast Energy Efficient Partnership (NEEP).

The Village Hall was designed in American Georgian style to complement the traditional setting of the village as well as to provide a sense of prominence and order.  The 20,000 SF, 3-story, brick-and-limestone structure houses its police department, government offices, courtroom, and training areas.  As the central command and designated emergency shelter of the Village, the building is designed to be fire- and hurricane-resistant, environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient to reduce operating costs for its constituents.

The 16" brick-and-block cavity exterior wall was selected for the building envelope not only for its durability and enduring aesthetic appeal, but also for its low maintenance and thermal mass, which translated to cost savings over the long term.  Decorative cast stone quoins, pilasters, watertables, lintels and keystones were used to create a historical look that is typical of buildings in this period style.  A fiber-reinforced cementitious stone eagle - a replica from the Village's historical sculpture - is prominently displayed on its reverse gable.

To protect the building from seasonal flooding, the poured-in-place reinforced concrete foundation is wrapped in a waterproofing membrane made out of bentonite-polymer alloy - the same material used in baby diapers - to seal the concrete from groundwater penetration.

8" precast hollowcore floor planks were utilized throughout the building to create under-floor supply air plenums on each level, reducing energy demands compared to conventional overhead ductwork.  Steel-and-concrete composite raised access floor panels with adjustable floor vents allow individual employees to control thermal comfort, and can be easily relocated to accommodate future modifications.  In secured and/or wet areas such as toilet rooms, locker rooms and holding cells, reinforced concrete floors were poured over built-up metal pans to create adequate pitch to floor drains.

The new municipal parking lot at the rear of the building utilized recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) as base, which is surrounded by concrete curbs and pavement. 

Despite the building's classical architectural façade, its well-insulated building envelope, geothermal HVAC system, under-floor air distribution and occupancy sensors cut energy consumption by 40%.  Rainwater harvesting, indigenous plantings and low-flow fixtures reduce potable water usage by over 50%.

The concrete, masonry and cementitious products used on the project significantly contributed to LEED points for both the recycled content and regional materials categories.  The project achieved an exemplary performance of 16.11% recycled contents and 43.06% regional materials.

Project Participants

Owner - Village of Amityville - Amityville, NY

Architect – Ward Associates, P.C. Architects & Engineers, Bohemia, NY

Mechanical Engineer – Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. – Montebello, NY

Structural Engineer – Thomas D. Reilly, P.E. – Smithtown, NY

LEED Consultant – 7group, Kutztown, PA

Construction Manager – Sandpebble Builders Inc. – Southampton, NY