VIDEO: Howard County Executive Calvin Ball on Wednesday announced that the County’s Department of Fire and Rescue Services’ (HCDFRS) Waterloo Fire Station has been awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). This achievement is underscored by the integration of eco-friendly elements, including reflective concrete, low-flow water appliances, a geothermal system for HVAC, energy efficient boilers, EV charging stations and rooftop solar panels. The station’s key environmental features include renewable energy for 49 percent of the building’s energy use, a reduction of indoor water usage by 46 percent and an energy cost savings of 60 percent. Home to more than 20 DFRS career personnel across three shifts and a Howard County Police Department satellite office, construction of the Waterloo Fire Station began in the summer of 2020 and was completed in October 2022.