The $168 million renovation of the Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCOE) Headquarters, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District project located at Fort Benning, Ga., earned the 2013 Chief of Engineers Award of Excellence in the “Building the Future” category.
The Chief of Engineers Awards of Excellence program, dating from 1965, recognizes and rewards exceptional performance by individuals and teams demonstrating excellence in overall quality, sustainability, or energy performance by supporting sustainability goals of USACE.
The facility, completed in spring 2012 as part of the Base Realignment and Closure 2005 Plan, is the largest renovation project in the Army to receive LEED Gold Certification. The building features more than 40,000 square feet of solar panels and more than 75 percent of the construction waste and demolition debris was recycled. It also has a rainwater collection system used for irrigation and cooling and plenty of large windows to maximize natural lighting.
“It is an excellent example of a sustainable project that will set a trend for large renovations of military facilities in the future,” said Alan Bugg, area engineer, Fort Benning. “The project team was committed to maximizing sustainability and minimizing environmental impacts throughout the entire project duration.”
By choosing renovation rather than new construction, Bugg said the Army saved more than 30 percent of the initial construction costs. Additionally, it is estimated that the Army will realize approximately $450,000 per year in energy savings and a 30 percent reduction in water usage.
“Not only is the new MCOE Headquarters a cost-effective, sustainable facility that meets mission requirements, it is a beautiful and thoroughly modern facility that is the crown jewel of Fort Benning,” said Bugg.
Read more about the project here.