Loop Truck Shop in North Bend earns LEED Platinum certification

Tucked just off I-90 in North Bend, this facility went into operation at the beginning of 2023.

You wouldn’t guess that a semi-truck maintenance facility would be all that tranquil, but on a recent morning in North Bend, the bay doors were open, and the sunshine was pouring in. Between the occasional rumble of a truck firing up, you could hear a woodpecker working on breakfast. Tucked into a thicket of trees just off I-90 sits one of King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division’s newest buildings.

Completed in late 2022 and operational since January 2023, the Loop Vehicle Maintenance Facility (AKA the Loop Truck Shop) has improved our ability to efficiently distribute biosolids to our farm and forestry customers across the state.

John Millick, a mechanic with Skagit Transportation, inspects the safety locks on the tailgate of a Loop hauling truck.

With a quintessential Pacific Northwest backdrop, the 12,500-square-foot building is not just painted green – it’s bursting with sustainable features. In fact, the Loop Truck Shop officially received its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification this spring.

The facility earned LEED Platinum, the highest level of certification in the LEED program, thanks to several standout features that our teams incorporated into the design of the building. They include:

• Onsite renewable energy: The facility is equipped with solar panels, providing renewable energy and reducing our reliance on non-renewable sources.
• Green power purchases: We support clean energy projects and carbon reduction initiatives by purchasing and using renewable energy. 
• Water-efficient landscaping: By using native plants, the facility reduces water consumption and supports local biodiversity.
• Low-emitting materials: Using adhesives, paints, coatings, and sealants with low emissions ensures better air quality and protects employee health.
• Sustainable materials: To minimize our environmental impact, we prioritized regionally produced and manufactured materials, Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood, and products with recycled content.

David Swezey, a mechanic with Skagit Transportation, greases and inspects safety locks on a trailer in one of the bays of the North Bend facility.

Sustainable building practices are not new for WTD. The Christie True Environmental Education Center (formerly the Brightwater Center) also achieved LEED Platinum, while other facilities like the South Treatment Plant Administration Building have earned LEED Gold. Our Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station, which received Envision Platinum, is the first in the state to do so.

Richard Hubbard, maintenance manager, takes a truck out to I-90 for a test drive after performing a minor repair.

This maintenance base is a big upgrade from our last location near the King County Airport. The old shop, essentially an airplane hangar, could only accommodate one piece of equipment at a time. Today, King County contracts with Skagit Transportation to manage the hauling operations and fleet maintenance. The new shop houses ample truck bays, plenty of skylights, and all the equipment and spare parts needed to keep these trucks rolling.

Trucks and trailers are staged for maintenance. Servicing these rigs can range from simple, preventative maintenance to major overhauls and fabrication.

And rolling they must—to the tune of 10 to 15 trucks per day. The Loop Truck Shop is a key part of this successful program that transforms waste into a valuable resource. These trucks help deliver the nutrients and moisture to the much-needed dryland farms and forests, resulting in over 42,000 metric tons of carbon being captured in Washington soils each year through Loop’s land application.

Learn more about Loop and our Resource Recovery program on our website.

Low-emitting and sustainable materials made this building green, helping secure the LEED Platinum certification.