Press releases are posted on Independent.com as a free community service.
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) last week celebrated its new office in Santa Maria — at 1011 West McCoy Lane — with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house. The event was attended by APCD Board Members Ariston Julian (Mayor of Guadalupe and APCD Board Chair), Alice Patino (Mayor of Santa Maria), David Brown (Mayor of Solvang), and Bob Nelson (County Supervisor, 4th District); Alma Hernandez, representative for Board Member Joan Hartmann (County Supervisor, 3rd District); Christina Hernandez, Guadalupe City Councilmember and representative for Assemblymember Gregg Hart; representatives from the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce; partner agencies; stakeholders; and members of the public. Attendees got to see the new space and chat with APCD staff about current programs.
APCD purchased the building in September 2021 and remodeled with sustainable concepts in mind that include: metal-insulated siding and roofing panels to provide a highly insulated building; dual-glazed windows that reflect heat and provide an improved weather seal; heat pumps for heating and cooling; Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) with Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) 13 filters for clean indoor air quality and Clean Air Center capability; thermostats in each room to minimize energy use; skylights to increase natural light; and high-efficiency LED lighting throughout. The building is also designed to allow for a future solar array to feed to a battery for power outages and to offset electrical use. APCD is also working on getting electric vehicle chargers installed and taking steps to have the office certified as a Green Business through the Santa Barbara County Green Business Program.