Vancouver Toyota is expanding in a big way, yet trying to minimize its effect on the Earth.

The dealership’s new $12.5 million showroom and service center, which will open this fall, was designed to minimize utility costs by recycling water and reducing waste and energy use, said Greg Leonard, general manager and co-owner of McCord’s Vancouver Auto Center Inc. The two-story facility is under construction on 9 acres south of its original 10009 N.E. Fourth Plain Road showroom, which opened in 1982.

“When you look at the life cycle of a building and the energy it consumes, building a green site just made sense,” Leonard said.

Bordered by the northbound exit ramp from Interstate 205 on its west side and by state Highway 500 on the south, the project is on track to earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification through the U.S. Green Building Council.

The designation pushed development costs about 15 percent higher, said Leonard, who expects to recover the investment in six to eight years.

“We looked at it like any other business decision, from the standpoint of, how can we be cost effective. But we also have to be good stewards of the environment,” said Leonard, who relied, in part, on design advice from his main supplier, Torrance, Calif.-based Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc.

“They have a team that helps with best practices,” he said.

The Vancouver project’s design features will include:

• Outdoor display space paved with 300,000 square feet of permeable pavers installed over variegated layers of rock to filter and return water to the soil, eliminating the need for stormwater retention ponds.

• Rooftop systems that capture and divert rainwater into two 20,000-gallon tanks to supply the rinse system of the dealership’s on-site car wash. That facility also is being remodeled for energy and water efficiency.

• A boiler system to heat the building by recycling and burning the waste oil from vehicle oil changes and repair services rendered by the dealership’s service facilities.

• A south-facing “greenscape” wall to provide a natural barrier against the afternoon sun and reduce cooling system costs.

• The use of glass with reflective coating to reduce cooling costs and, at the same time, create a facility that, in the daytime, relies on daylight for 90 percent of its lighting.

• Interior materials and finishes that are made from post-consumer recyclables, such as plastic and rubber, and sustainable products, such as bamboo flooring.

Leonard said the showroom will house Vancouver Toyota’s new-car sales department, its administrative offices and a 22-bay service center. It will be furnished for customers with a fireplace, coffee bar and big-screen television set; there will also be a separate play area for children.

“It’s all about having an environment that customers are comfortable in while their car is being serviced,” he said.

Recall update

Vancouver Toyota’s expansion comes as Toyota is working to address widespread vehicle safety issues.

Since December, Leonard said Vancouver Toyota has serviced more than 2,000 vehicles that were part of the carmaker’s worldwide recall of more than 8 million units, largely due to acceleration problems in multiple models and braking issues in the Prius hybrid.

Leonard said recalls have had a negative effect on sales, although the international carmaker continues to bear the cost of repairs, not the dealership.

The problems started in January, when sales of affected models were put on hold. That action and the economic downturn before it created a 16-month-long decline in sales at Vancouver Toyota, Leonard said.

But the current problems haven’t shaken Leonard’s confidence in Toyota’s future.

“The decision to build this facility is not just for today, it’s a long-term commitment to the brand, the community and our customers,” he said.

Repair services, parts and accessory sales accounted for between 10 percent and 12 percent of Vancouver Toyota’s revenue, about $70 million in 2009, Leonard said.

His is the only Clark County Toyota dealership, though there are at least nine other Toyota dealers in the Vancouver-Portland metro area from Longview to Wilsonville, Ore. Upon completion of its new facility, Vancouver Toyota’s existing Fourth Plain showroom and service center will showcase used cars and vehicle repair services, as well as an enlarged parts and accessory department.

Vancouver Toyota sells and services new Toyotas, Scions and recreational vehicles, along with used cars.

Work on its new facility is being overseen by general contractor Building Structures Inc. of Boring, Ore.