Daybreak Projects Awarded Silver LEED Rating

Recognition acknowledges green building and energy efficiency as part of National Energy Awareness Month.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) awarded Kennecott Land of Salt Lake City and the Jordan School District in Utah a LEED Silver rating for the Daybreak Elementary School and Community Center project in South Jordan, Utah on Oct. 24.

The USGBC's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System certifies buildings that take preventative measures to lessen their impact on the environment. Such measures include the use of recycled materials, increased use of daylight, reduced water and energy consumption and innovative design.

"Kennecott Land is committed to building in an environmentally sustainable manner," said Peter McMahon, president of Kennecott Land.

"Daybreak school is consistently one of the most energy-efficient of our 89 schools," said Barry Newbold, superintendent of Jordan School District. "This speaks volumes about the building's construction because it uniquely operates outside of regular school hours in the evenings and on the weekends." The

District average energy cost per square foot is $1.09; Daybreak Elementary School and Community Center uses $.84 per square foot (costs reflect an 11-month period).

Daybreak Elementary School is the first public school in Utah that is both a school and a neighborhood learning and community center. It opened in the fall of 2005.

Conceived and developed as a partnership between Jordan School District and Kennecott Land, Daybreak Elementary School and Community Center is a 116,700 square-foot facility with an environmentally efficient ground-source heating and cooling system, natural lighting in halls and classrooms, and the use of recycled materials.

Kennecott Land commissioned Brixen and Christopher Architects of Salt Lake City to design the structure to LEED specification.

"This Silver LEED certification is significant and noteworthy as there are only nine LEED certified buildings in Utah," says Curtis Clark, Utah Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "The green features of the building make it a great place for students to learn."

New Stevens-Henager College Started in Boise

Ground was broken Sept. 26 on the new Stevens-Henager College campus in Boise. Layton Construction Company of Sandy, Utah, was selected to build the facility, the second such project Layton has worked on for Stevens-Henager College. Layton previously constructed a campus for the college in Murray, Utah.

Designed by MHTN Architects of Salt Lake City, the 83,000 sq. ft., five-story facility sits at Overland Road and I-84. The exterior of the building will be EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish System, more commonly recognized as a 'stucco' finish) combined with ribbon windows and glass curtain walls, which will be highlighted by exterior lighting.

The interior lobby will showcase granite flooring. Restrooms are upgraded with finer finishes including porcelain tiling throughout. Completion is anticipated for July 2007.

In addition to the new Stevens-Henager building, other current Layton projects in Idaho include Boise State University's Bronco Stadium Press Box and SkySuite Addition, in addition to the Kings Corner Overpass project in Nampa.

Block U Renovation Completed

The newly renovated 'Block U' was unveiled at an official lighting ceremony during the half-time of the University of Utah football game Oct. 5 against Texas Christian University. Layton Construction Company of Sandy, Utah partnered with GSL Electric and Greene's, Inc. on the project, which was completed in a short time-frame in order to be ready for the football season.

Construction crews placed 70 cubic yards of concrete in 4-inch thick slabs to cover the 5,000 feet of surface area. The concrete mix, which contained steel rebar, was poured at a 45-degree angle. Crews began the pours at the bottom of the Block U rather than the top, using concrete mix with a low enough slump that it wouldn't slide downhill. The construction team built wooden steps all the way around the Block U (both inside and outside perimeters) and installed a cable handrail to give workers better access to the site and increase safety.

The completed Block U has 240 light fixtures with 18 LED's per fixture, with alternating red and white lights. The light fixtures are flush-mounted with the concrete. There are 240 points of control for the Block U, meaning that each light fixture is able to be controlled individually. The lighting system also has more types of control than it previously had - the lights have a dimming feature (i.e. a dimmer switch), allowing the lights to be flashed at higher/lower intensities, and the lights can race around or "chase" each other (like Christmas lights). The lighting system is controlled through a wireless system via an antenna connected to the Merrill Engineering Building.

Crews filled in and sloped around the Block U with dirt and gravel to stop erosion. Construction crews installed a diversion barrier above the Block U with a fairly elaborate drainage system - runoff water will come from the top of the hill, filter through a gravel base behind the diversion barrier and run through the drainage system and down the sides of the Block U without causing erosion underneath or on top of the Block U itself.

Watts to Build Community Rec Center in Washington City

The Washington City Council recently approved plans for construction of a new community recreation center in Washington, Utah, and awarded a contract to Watts Construction of St. George. Ground was slated to be broken November 9.

The 110,400 sq. ft. design-build project will consist of pools, a splash pad, gym rooms, weight room, track, aerobics room and multi-purpose rooms. According to Watts, the anticipated cost of the project is around $12 million.

"It will be the perfect gift to our community for the sesquicentennial birthday of Washington City," said city manager Roger Carter.

Big-D Completes J.C. Penny Store

Big-D Construction of Salt Lake City has completed its first store for the J.C. Penney Company, one of the nation's largest department store retailers.

Located at The District Shopping Center in South Jordan, the off-mall format store covers 100,000 square feet on a single level and features wider aisles, new lighting design and a concentrated customer service center. The store celebrated its grand opening in October.

Big-D has also been retained by J.C. Penney to build two additional stores:
one in Riverdale, UT, and one in Nampa, ID

Bird Refuge Project Spices up Brigham City

Visitors to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife's Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Brigham City are enjoying the new 30,000 sq. ft. visitor center/administration building, a $7.5 million project constructed by HHI Corporation of Farmington, Utah.

The building, which provides opportunities to learn about native wildlife and plant species from the Bear River Refuge and Great Salt Lake Ecosystem, is highlighted by a 200-seat auditorium with unique acoustical design and high-resolution graphics. It also features a gift shop, outdoor class area and walkways that access the beautiful wetlands. The building is renowned for its acoustical design and high-resolution exhibits.

The facility also provides USFW personnel with office space, storage area, break rooms and a state-of-the-art bird rescue laboratory. It was completed in a 19-month construction period.

Layton Breaks Ground on Uintah Rec Center

Layton Construction of Sandy, Utah, broke ground Oct. 23 on the Uintah Recreation Center project in Vernal, Utah, located on an 80-acre parcel of land just off of U.S. 40 that when fully developed will be devoted almost entirely to activities that are recreation-oriented.

EDA Architects of Salt Lake City designed the 78,000 sq. ft. recreation center, which will feature various activity spaces that were planned into the building's design based on input from the community.

The intent of the overall design and construction of the Uintah Recreation Center, including the material selection and design of the mechanical and electrical systems, is to help lower ongoing maintenance and operational costs, minimize staffing and provide a facility that conserves energy. To help conserve energy, the use of natural light and other "passive" energy sources will be incorporated as much as possible.

Cameron Building Temple Har Shalom in Park City

Cameron Construction has started construction of a 30,000 square foot synagogue for Temple Har Shalom. This new world class facility is beautifully located on the main entry corridor into Park City on the northeast side of Rt. 224. This new center for Jewish life will provide programming for all ages as well as cultural offerings in the arts. It will be a welcome addition to the diverse and expanding Park City community.

Groundbreaking was October 8, 2006 and completion is scheduled for fall of 2007. Professor Alfred Jacoby of Germany and Prescott Muir Architects of Salt Lake City designed the facility. It is to be constructed of block, brick and wood siding, with radiant heat, state of the art electrical and AV systems, and interior finishes to include wood ceilings, plaster walls, and stained glass windows.