Award Description

The Toho Water Authority Headquarters is a LEED Gold certified project. As the first LEED certified project in the City of Kissimmee, the 54,000-square-foot facility demonstrates the Authority’s commitment to conserving water and energy for Osceola County’s future.

KZF Design decided to use concrete tilt-wall construction to reduce the total amount of resources and subsequent environmental impact that the project would use.

The architect, structural engineer, construction manager, and concrete contractor collaborated to provide innovative solutions for this project. The design team of KZF Design and TLC Engineering worked together with Balfour Beatty Construction and Tilt-Con to reduce the number of panels by using multiple cranes during lifting to complete the intended design. As a result of these strategic design and construction decisions, the project currently holds multiple accolades from the Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA). According to TCA, the project has the world’s largest panel by area at 2950 square feet, the second heaviest panel ever at 330,000 pounds, and the ninth widest panel at 56 feet 3 1/4 inch (at date of submittal).

Originally intended to be constructed with precast concrete panels over a steel frame, the design and construction teams, collaborated together to analyze many alternative solutions and decided on concrete tilt-wall as the best solution. The modifications not only allowed for a reduction in structural steel and a cleaner installation of insulation, but as an added benefit; provided a reduction in costs, as well as a time savings. By using concrete tilt-wall, the design team also eliminated the need to transport precast panels from production facility to jobsite, reducing emissions, and environmental impact. Additionally by using larger tilt-wall panels, the number of panel joints was reduced, thus limiting the potential for air and moisture intrusion, which affect the performance and “health” of the overall building.

Concrete also was used as the paving material for the parking lots and sidewalks. The use of concrete paving increased the solar reflectivity (SRI) of the surface area of the site’s hardscape, when compared to traditional asphalt. The increased SRI of the concrete reduces the heat island effect of the site, which studies show minimizes the effect of local microclimates.

The concrete used on this project used on average approximately 20% fly ash in the mix. This strategic use of a former waste product as a substitute for portland cement and sand allows for the reduction of the use of natural, virgin resources and recycles the waste into the next cycle of life.

The finish face of the panel was specified and delivered as smooth. It required no texture in its finish coating. The architect also insisted 90-degree corners at all openings, no chamfers, as well 45-degree sharp corners at panel miter joints.

All of these decisions led to a beautiful, cost effective, and sustainable project.

Double crane panel lifts

• Fly ash in mix


• Maximized panel sizes


• Minimized panel joints


• 90-degree no-chamfer corners, at openings and exterior corners

Project Participants

Owner: Toho Water Authority, Kissimmee, FL
Architect/Designer: KZF Design, Orlando, FL
Structural Engineer: TLC Engineering for Architecture, Cocoa, FL
General Contractor: Balfour Beatty Construction, Orlando, FL
Concrete Contractor: Tilt-Con, Altamonte, FL
Concrete Producer: Cemex, Jupiter, FL
Landscape Architect: Bellomo Herbert, Orlando, FL
Civil Engineers: Franklin, Hart & Reid, Kissimmee, FL