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Details on the New NWS Facility Under Construction
on White Street in Key West
Square Foot - 8,270 Interior Office Space
Lot Size ~ 1.9 acres
Landscaping ~ native, with most of the big trees onsite being preserved
Exterior Fence - replaced with wrought iron.
The building is designed for
LEEDS certification, which is a high standard for environmental
conservation. Considerations include recycling construction debris,
and using recycled material in the construction. Low water use is
met by using a cistern under the building to flush toilets and water
the landscape. Low impact lighting is also used to minimize light
pollution in the neighborhood. Noise pollution is minimized by isolating
the air conditioners, and by using a hospital grade backup power
generator. Stormwater runoff should be zero, due to the use of a
cistern, injection well, and permeable paving in the parking lot.
Hurricane Resistance
The building is designed to withstand 165mph wind, and debris impact.
It will be elevated to14ft above sea level, which is the maximum
storm surge expected for the neighborhood. Although there will be
a lot of large windows in the building, they will consist of 1.5
inch thick hurricane glass. The interior of the building will feature
a storm shelter rated to withstand 255 mph wind. The building will
allow the National Weather Service to continue providing lifesaving
weather forecasts and warnings when they are needed the most, during
a major hurricane. The National Weather Service's mission is so
critical to public safety during a hurricane, that the general population
will not be able to use the building for shelter during a hurricane.
Interesting Facts
Despite being about 2 acres, the lot size is far short of the necessary
6 acres we need to launch weather balloons. We've compensated by
building a 60 foot tall tower from which to launch the balloons.
This height will allow the balloons to rise above obstructions in
the neighborhood, such as other buildings and power lines. The balloons
will be launched at least twice a day. They will be filled with
helium, and carry an instrument package to a height of about 100,000ft.
The data will be fed into computer models that help the forecaster
predict the atmosphere.
The building will feature an education and science center in its
lobby, and we look forward to hosting school groups and science
events. We will also have an office for local emergency managers
to use during a hurricane. This will facillitate direct communication
between the forecasters and evacuation decision makers.
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www.srh.weather.gov 
National Weather Service Forecast Office
