Army Corps of Engineers getting new project office near Walla Walla

Randolph Construction of Pasco is building a new Army Corps of Engineers project office with energy efficiency features just downstream from Mill Creek Dam near Walla Walla under a $2.2 million contract.

Construction is expected to begin next week with the help of 20 Tri-City and Walla Walla area firms that have been awarded Randolph Construction subcontracts.

The new office, off Reservoir Road just east of Walla Walla city limits and across Mill Creek from Walla Walla Community College, will have some features for visitors who use the walking trails in the area and boat on Bennington Lake.

It will include a visitor display area and a public restroom. Site work for the 3,756-square-foot building will include an access road, expanded parking and a new pedestrian bridge.

The new building replaces a 1930s structure with later additions that totaled 900 square feet of space.

The new building has been designed to reduce energy consumption and waste, both during construction and also during use of the building, to the silver standard for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design of the U.S. Green Building Council.

The energy-saving features should achieve a 30-percent reduction in energy consumption and reduce operating costs, said Simeon Francis, Corps project manager, in a statement.

Features will include a gray-water reuse system to treat used water from faucets, showers and the water fountain for flushing toilets. A ground loop heat exchanger will use natural underground heat as a source to help heat and cool the building. Solar collection panels also will be installed.

The building is positioned to receive maximum access to direct sunlight, and lighting controls will automatically adjust interior electrical lighting based on the amount of sunlight entering a room.

No permanent irrigation will be installed because landscaping will be done with native, drought-tolerant plants.

The building should be completed in October.

Subcontractors on the project include A&B Asphalt of Benton City for new asphalt and parking area; Apollo Sheet Metal of Kennewick for plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning and ground source loop systems; Columbia Basin Rebar of Burbank to supply reinforcing bar,and Intermountain West Insulation of Kennewick to install insulation.

Subcontractors also include J&B Construction and Landscaping of Kennewick for landscaping, temporary irrigation and pavers; Paintmaster Service of Benton City for painting and coating; RedBuilt of Richland to supply I-joists and glulams; R.P. Construction of Kennewick for framing; Monarch Machinery of Pasco to supply structural steel components and Stratton Surveying of Kennewick for surveying.

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Army Corps of Engineers getting new project office near Walla Walla