15,458 SF | Office | Goodyear, Arizona

The Liberty Utilities building is a new southwestern regional headquarters for this prominent West Valley utility company. Liberty Utilities is a regulated water, wastewater, natural gas, electric utility company providing local utility delivery, management, and support to small and mid-sized communities across the United States. They are also a prominent proponent of sustainable natural resource policies. They are on target to achieve 75% renewable generation goal by 2023.

Liberty’s new Radiant Heart logo symbolizes their emphasis on how clean, sustainable energy and water are the heartbeat of their services. Their mission is to provide reliable, affordable, sustainable service for their communities. Greener, cleaner, and sustainable utilities are their future, and they convey this to their customer public throughout this facility.

The building is a regional facility comprised of a public lobby and bill-paying center, administrative, private, open offices, conference rooms, break areas, collaboration, and ancillary support spaces. It is constructed on a large campus with extensive landscaping and a large multi-acre groundwater recharge basin.

The building interiors feature innovative design features, focused on a central walkway through the building named “Liberty Way.” It serves as the circulation spine for the building and displays prominent graphics highlighting its history and mission. Conveniently situated adjacent to “Liberty Way” are various touchdown and collaboration spaces for staff to congregate and huddle for collaboration. The intent of the design by the Cawley Design Studio is to offer contemporary design amenities and advantages that reward the existing staff and attract a younger generation of staff.

The primary building entrance into the building’s bill-paying center is defined by a cantilevered canopy extending out from the building, creating an intimate garden experience for visitors and customers. In addition, the building materials and finishes have been selected based on sustainability standards. For example, the low, horizontal massing extends the interior spaces to engage the landscape. And the glazing for the offices includes sun shading that enhances the exterior. Even the site planning and construction have features to reduce their carbon footprint. These initiatives include installing solar panels on the roof, converting their fleet vehicles to compressed natural gas and electric power, offering preferred parking for hybrid vehicles, and installing solar panels on their covered parking.

Liberty also supports biodiversity programs and designed a walkway through their xeriscape (low water usage) site landscaping with demonstration plantings and explanatory signage.

Owner: Liberty Utilities
Contractor: GCON
Interiors: Cawley Design Studio