Modernizing Public Safety: Redmond Named a Zero+ Champion of Sustainability

A public safety building has to work around the clock. Its mechanical and ventilation systems can’t simply be upgraded when it is convenient, and inefficient equipment can affect both the people working inside and the energy required to operate the facility.

That’s why Redmond, Washington’s work to modernize its 53,328-square-foot Public Safety Building is a strong example of the city’s broader approach to sustainability, earning it recognition as a 2026 Zero+ Champion of Sustainability through McKinstry’s partnership with Lumen Field.

The city partnered with McKinstry to replace and relocate aging water-source heat pumps with higher-efficiency units, upgrade interior lighting to high-efficiency LEDs and improve ventilation throughout the facility. Locker room ventilation was separated from the main building system, allowing the city to maintain proper airflow when other areas of the building are unoccupied rather than running the entire system unnecessarily.

McKinstry also performed comprehensive testing, adjusting and balancing to verify that the upgraded systems were operating as designed. A nd the work isn’t finished: a third phase entered development in 2024, continuing the city’s effort to replace additional heat pumps and improve HVAC efficiency.

The Public Safety Building is one example of a broader pattern across Redmond’s facilities. The city has also invested in solar PV at City Hall and upgrades at the Redmond Pool, aligning individual projects with its Climate Action Strategy.

Redmond’s approach demonstrates that sustainability doesn’t have to mean waiting for a transformational project. It can mean systematically improving the buildings a community already relies on, one system and one facility at a time. That sustained approach is what earned Redmond the Zero+ Champion of Sustainability recognition.