The Contra Costa County Administration Building in Martinez, Calif., is the world’s first public project to achieve the zero-waste-focused TRUE Gold certification for construction. The TRUE Certification for Construction program, administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), recognizes projects that achieve exceptional levels of waste reduction, reuse, and recycling.
More than 95% of construction waste from the project was diverted from landfills and waste-to-energy facilities. That amounted to over 15,000 tons of waste reduced, reused, recycled, composted, and/or recovered for productive use. The project included the demolishing of a 12-story building and a historic jail. Marble from the building lobby was salvaged, cut, and reused in the new building lobby, alongside a history of the site mural.
Granite blocks from the historic Contra Costa County Jail, built in 1904, were repurposed as seat walls and paving throughout the new public plaza. Perforated wood panels taken from the original administration building built in 1962 were salvaged and reused. Concrete demolition material was reused as backfill for the new building, eliminating the need to haul away waste.
RELATED CONTENT:
California office/lab construction site earns world’s first TRUE preconstruction zero-waste certification
The project incorporated innovative waste sorting, management practices, and jobsite training. It included collaboration with suppliers to minimize packaging waste before being brought to the site. As a result of all the waste reduction and reuse practices on the project, greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 8,500 metric tons, equivalent to what 1,800 gasoline-powered cars produce in a year. All About Waste, a zero waste and circular economy consultant, contributed their expertise to the project.
The new 65,000-sf, three-story office building and outdoor plaza will feature office spaces for public entities, including the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s department, Contra Costa County Television department, and the Contra Costa County Law Library. The Sheriff’s office amenities include meeting, locker, and break rooms, as well as level 4 ballistic glass, walls, and doors at reception. The facility also includes probation offices featuring interview rooms, an armory, burglar-resistant glass partitions, and an AI phone system. The outdoor plaza will be used for community events such as farmer’s markets and public performances.
On the project team:
Owner and/or developer: Contra Costa County
Design architect: Perkins&Will
Architect of record: Perkins&Will
MEP engineering:
PAE brought the design to 50% CD for Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing
Plumbing - JW McClenahan
Mechanical - Peterson Mech
Electrical - Contra Costa Electric
Fire Protection – Allied
Low Voltage - WPCS
Structural engineer: Tipping
Civil Engineer: KPFF Consulting Engineers
Landscape Architect: MIG
General contractor/construction manager: Webcor
![World’s first TRUE Zero Waste for Construction-certified public project, Contra Costa County Administration Building in Martinez, Calif. Photo by Kyle Jeffers Photo, courtesy Webcor](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Contra%20Costa%20County%20Administration%20Building%2C%20Webcor%20.jpg)
Here is the full press release from Webcor:
The Contra Costa County Administration Building and Redevelopment Project in Martinez, CA recently became the world's first Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE) Gold for construction-certified public project, setting a new sustainability benchmark for public building projects worldwide. The design-build project was delivered by Webcor, a leading commercial construction company, in partnership with global design firm Perkins&Will and Contra Costa County.
The TRUE Certification for Construction program, administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), recognizes projects that achieve exceptional levels of waste reduction, reuse, and recycling. Webcor's success in this endeavor was supported by the county's consultant, All About Waste, a zero waste and circular economy consultant.
This groundbreaking achievement underscores Webcor's commitment to sustainability and positions the company at the forefront of eco-friendly construction practices that support a circular economy.
"This project is a living testament of Contra Costa County's commitment to leading sustainably and making services more accessible for our community," said Federal Glover, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. "We're excited about setting a new standard for local government construction projects that prioritizes our environment and are grateful to our project partners for helping us achieve this success."
Highlights:
- First TRUE Gold for Construction-certified public project globally
- 95.07 percent of construction waste was diverted from landfills and waste-to-energy facilities, i.e. over 15,000 tons of waste were reduced, reused, recycled, composted and/or recovered for productive use in nature or the economy
- Greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 8,500 metric tons, equivalent to what 1,800 gasoline-powered cars produce in a year
The 65,000-square-foot office building and plaza showcases Webcor's innovative approach to resource management and waste reduction. This certification follows Webcor's recent success with the GENESIS Marina project in Brisbane, which became the world's first TRUE-certified construction project in February 2024.
![World’s first TRUE Zero Waste for Construction-certified public project, Contra Costa County Administration Building in Martinez, Calif. Photo by Kyle Jeffers Photo, courtesy Webcor](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Contra%20Costa%20County%20Administration%20Building%2C%20Webcor%20Photo%20by%20Kyle%20Jeffers%20Photo.jpg)
"Achieving TRUE Gold certification for a public building of this scale is a testament to Webcor's dedication to pushing the boundaries of sustainable construction," said Alec Bangs, Webcor senior project manager. "We're setting new industry standards and demonstrating that environmentally responsible practices can be implemented without compromising project budgets or timelines."
"Reusing materials in a project is always an exciting challenge," said Peter Pfau, Perkins&Will's design director. "By featuring the beauty and timelessness of the reclaimed marble in such a prominent place, we demonstrate Contra Costa County's values of sustainability and honor the investments of the past. It's a privilege to collaborate with clients and partners who share our commitment to the environment."
![World’s first TRUE Zero Waste for Construction-certified public project, Contra Costa County Administration Building in Martinez, Calif. Photo by Kyle Jeffers Photo, courtesy Webcor](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Contra%20Costa%20County%20Administration%20Building%2C%20Webcor%20Photo%20by%20Kyle%20Jeffers%20Photo%201.jpg)
Key sustainability initiatives included:
- Salvaging and reusing materials from the demolished 12-story building and jail building
- Marble from the 12-story building lobby was salvaged, cut, and reused in the new building lobby, alongside a history of the site mural
- Innovative waste sorting, management practices, and jobsite training
- Collaboration with suppliers to minimize packaging waste before being brought on site
- Eliminating hauling and waste by reusing concrete demolition material as backfill for the new building.
Eric Angstadt, Contra Costa County Chief Assistant County Administrator, praised the project's transparency and accountability: "This certification required meticulous documentation of our waste management processes, ensuring that every piece of project waste reached its intended destination."
Mansi Bansai, Webcor project engineer, highlighted the project's innovative spirit: "We introduced several new ideas, such as using natural fiber-based gloves that were later repurposed into furniture. This project demonstrates how innovative thinking can lead to significant environmental benefits."
Related Stories
| May 10, 2011
Cascadia Green Building Council report urges net-zero water systems for multifamily and commercial buildings
A new report from the Cascadia Green Building Council offers best management practices for designing safe, efficient, and effective net-zero water systems for the multifamily, commercial, single-family, and neighborhood market segments.
| May 10, 2011
Greenest buildings: K-12 and commercial markets
Can you name the nation’s greenest K-12 school? How about the greenest commercial building? If you drew a blank, don’t worry because our friends at EarthTechling have all the information on those two projects. Check out the Hawai’i Preparatory Academy’s Energy Lab on the Big Island and Cascadia Green Building Council’s new Seattle headquarters.
| May 10, 2011
Solar installations on multifamily rooftops aid social change
The Los Angeles Business Council's study on the feasibility of installing solar panels on the city’s multifamily buildings shows there's tremendous rooftop capacity, and that a significant portion of that rooftop capacity comes from buildings in economically depressed neighborhoods. Solar installations could therefore be used to create jobs, lower utility costs, and improve conditions for residents in these neighborhood.
| May 3, 2011
More jurisdictions adopting International Green Construction Code
More jurisdictions are utilizing the new International Green Construction Code (IGCC) as a tool to address sustainable construction for new and existing buildings. Fort Collins, Colo., and Kayenta Township, Ariz., are the most recent in a series of local and state governments that have adopted the IGCC,
| May 3, 2011
What green building types are most likely to get noticed?
The general public isn’t terribly aware of green buildings in their area, according to a TD Bank survey of 1,510 consumers within major metro markets in its Maine to Florida footprint. The bank conducted the poll to better understand consumers’ knowledge of green or sustainable buildings. According to the poll, these green buildings are most likely to get noticed.
| May 3, 2011
Green building materials in U.S. to exceed $71 billion in 2015
Demand for green building materials is projected to expand 13.0% annually to $71.1 billion in 2015, slightly outpacing the growth of building construction expenditures over that period, according to a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry market research firm. While the rising use of green materials will support gains, the most important driver for demand will be the expected rebound in the construction market.
| Apr 26, 2011
Ed Mazria on how NYC can achieve carbon neutrality in buildings by 2030
The New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects invited Mr. Mazria to present a keynote lecture to launch its 2030 training program. In advance of that lecture, Jacob Slevin, co-founder of DesignerPages.com and a contributor to The Huffington Post, interviewed Mazria about creating a sustainable vision for the future and how New York City's architects and designers can rise to the occasion.
| Apr 22, 2011
GSA testing 16 emerging sustainable technologies, practices
The GSA is testing and evaluating 16 emerging sustainable building technologies and practices in select federal facilities under its Green Proving Ground program. Testing will determine the most effective technologies that may then be replicated on a wider-scale basis throughout the GSA inventory with the goal of transforming markets for these technologies.
| Apr 19, 2011
Is a building sustainable if it kills birds?
Migratory birds were flying into the windows and falling, dead or injured, to the foot of the LEED-Platinum FBI building in Chicago. The FBI building isn't the only LEED-certified structure to cause problems for migratory birds, however. Some of the more than 33,000 LEED-certified buildings in the U.S. use large amounts of glass to bring in natural light and save on energy—and all that glass can confuse birds.