A Flexible Facility for Daily Operations and Emergency Response

Aug 18

3 min read

Bright open office kitchen and lounge with white tables, wooden chairs, hanging lamps, and lush green plants in a modern workspace.

Moulton Niguel Water District needed an existing building on its Laguna Hills campus to support more than routine staff use. The completed facility would also need to accommodate meetings, events, overflow operations, and emergency response functions when additional space and coordination were required.

Empty modern kitchen with white cabinets, turquoise backsplash, built-in microwaves, and stainless stove under bright ceiling lights.

Updating the Space for Staff and Operations

The project included all-new mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, energy-efficient windows, polished concrete floors, and improvements to the existing locker rooms. A new breakroom and kitchen created updated shared spaces for MNWD staff while also providing room to support events and overflow use.

The kitchen includes a custom water-blue backsplash, adding a distinct visual feature within the otherwise practical interior. Upgraded audiovisual capabilities and multiple screens provide additional support for meetings, staff coordination, and emergency operations. The completed space also includes TVs used by MNWD’s scheduling department to coordinate trucks and equipment.

These improvements were planned to make the building more useful during the workday while giving the District additional flexibility when operational demands increase.

Empty modern conference room with oval table, mesh chairs, blue carpet, windows, and a wall display showing a tropical beach scene

Supporting Emergency Coordination

Emergency response was an important part of the facility’s intended use.

The new kitchen, meeting areas, and technology systems allow staff and first responders to gather and coordinate from one location during overflow operations or disaster-relief efforts. The project also included an emergency response hub designed to store food supplies, serve as a muster point, and help organize operations during emergency events.

Rather than creating separate areas for each possible function, the completed build-out allows shared spaces to serve several related needs. Staff amenities used during daily operations can also support personnel during extended or emergency use.

Aerial view of a solar-panel-covered industrial yard with green-roofed buildings, trucks, and dry hills surrounding it.

Sequencing a Specialty Roof Installation

A key exterior feature was the installation of a custom olive-green standing seam roof.

The existing building had exposed framing and purlins, with no roof substrate beneath the new roofing system. Because crews could not work from a conventional roof deck, the installation had to be completed in small, carefully planned sections.

Casco coordinated fall protection, harnesses, lifts, cherry pickers, and protection below the roof structure throughout the work. Each section required detailed planning and daily safety checks before installation could proceed.

The building was also uninsulated, requiring new R-30 insulation to be installed from the interior underside while roofing work progressed above. Coordinating these overlapping scopes, while accounting for weather conditions and the long procurement period for the custom roofing material, required consistent communication between the field team and trade partners.

The sectional approach allowed the roofing and insulation work to move forward safely despite the limitations of the existing structure.

Empty modern office suite with glass-walled rooms, open wooden doors, and bright windows in a clean white interior.

A More Useful Campus Resource

The completed facility gives Moulton Niguel Water District an updated space that supports staff, scheduling, meetings, events, and overflow operations within one building. Its emergency response features also provide the District and first responders with a designated location for gathering, communication, and operational coordination.

By improving the interior spaces, replacing the building systems, and carefully completing the specialty roof installation, the project adapted an existing campus structure to meet a broader range of MNWD’s day-to-day and emergency needs.

Project Team

General Contractor: Casco Contractors

Architect: Ware Malcomb

About Casco Contractors

Casco Contractors is Southern California's leading commercial general contractor specializing in comprehensive construction services encompassing commercial interiors, building repositions, exterior upgrades, and EV Charging Station installations. A certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) founded in 2000 by Cheryl Osborn, the commercial construction firm has grown into one of the largest contractors in Orange County. Over the last 25+ years, Casco's experienced team has built a strong reputation for quality work, expert value-engineering, and exceptional customer service. Learn more at cascocontractors.com.

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