Barnhart Balfour Beatty, a division of Balfour Beatty Construction, recently announced that the Wounded Warrior Barracks at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., has received a LEED Platinum Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).
This is the first Marine Corps' project to be awarded a LEED Platinum designation, the USGBC's highest level of certification. LEED is the nation's preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. The project was managed under the direction of Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest (NAVFAC SW).
"This is a tremendous achievement that fulfills the goal of our company and our parent company Balfour Beatty Construction to be 'ecoengaged,' which means creating a healthier future where clients achieve their environmental goals and communities thrive," said Eric Stenman, president of Barnhart Balfour Beatty.
"Achieving the highest level of LEED certification was made possible because all members of the team, including NAVFAC SW, the Marine Corps, Navy and the design/construction team, made sustainability and a high quality of life for the wounded Marines and sailors their top priority," added Wyatt Chapman, principal at San Diego's cass | sowatsky | chapman + associates, the project's architectural firm.
The sustainable achievements of the Wounded Warrior Barracks focused on reductions in energy, water and waste: energy savings is over 38%, water savings within the building is more than 37%, and water efficiency in the landscaping is over 66% as calculated in the LEED rating system. A total of 86.5% of the waste generated on site (878 tons) was diverted from local landfills.
The $24-million Wounded Warrior Barracks was completed in March 2010. The project features 100 semi-private suites for men and women of all ranks and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. A total of 41 consultants and subcontractors worked on the project, many of them based in the San Diego area. Key members of the military team included the Resident Officer in Charge of Construction Camp Pendleton; Camp Pendleton Public Works; and the Officer in Charge of Construction, Marine Corps Installations West.
Wounded Warrior Battalion West provides assistance to wounded, injured and ill Marines and sailors and their family members throughout the phases of their recovery. More information is available at www.bnwest.woundedwarriorregiment.org .
About Balfour Beatty Construction
A leader in the U.S. commercial construction industry, Balfour Beatty Construction provides general contracting, at-risk construction management, and design-build services through 2,100 professionals nationwide. For the past two years, the company has been cited as a Top 10 Green Builder by Engineering-News Record and as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For® by FORTUNE magazine. The company is part of London-based Balfour Beatty plc, a global leader in professional services, construction services, support services, and infrastructure investment, with more than $18 billion in annual revenues. To learn more about the company and its subsidiaries-Barnhart Balfour Beatty, Charter Builders, and SpawMaxwell-visit www.balfourbeattyus.com .
