Heath Construction (Heath) is building a new 17,500-square-foot green council tree library in Fort Collins city. The total cost of the construction is $1.6 million and it is anticipated that the final cost, including materials, furnishings and the cost of building core, will be $6.6 million. The construction of the library will be completed in early 2009. The new library is a building with the energy efficient products and certified green-building materials.
The construction of this green library is to decrease operating and maintenance costs and environmental impact and to meet or exceed the city’s goal for the LEED Gold Certified library facility.
“Environmentally sustainable construction is a part of Heath’s culture,” said Randy DeMario, Heath president. “LEED certification is fast becoming a must-have requirement for many of today’s municipal projects.”
In the last decade, the company has constructed around 100 municipal, school and educational facilities throughout the region, including $3.4 million Harmony library in Fort Collins, $4.6 million Lafayette police facility, the $7.6 million Loveland Fairgrounds Park and the many multi-million-dollar projects at Colorado State University.
Heath is working with the Fort Collins city to meet or exceed its LEED Gold Certification goal. Along with the city, the company is implementing strict building requirements developed by the US Green Building Council.
For example, the company is constructing the new library to earn the LEED credits in such categories as:
Water efficiency;
Energy and atmosphere;
Materials and resources;
Indoor environmental quality; and
Innovation and design process.
The Council Tree branch library is likely to get LEED Platinum certification, because the Fort Collins Regional Library District staff is selecting the eco-conscious furnishings and equipment for completed facility.
The new branch library is taking the shape on second floor of a retail building located in the Front Range Village shopping center on the northwest corner of the Ziegler and Harmony Roads. It will have a large meeting room, several study rooms, and an open floor plan designed to accommodate the changing needs of family-oriented facility.