Colby College
The Diamond Building
Waterville, ME

Lee Kennedy Co. is providing preconstruction and construction management services for the construction of this 3-story, 53,000 s.f. social science building. The structure will house offices, classrooms, two lecture halls seating 50 and 60 students, respectively, and a 180-seat tiered auditorium.

Preconstruction services entailed logistics planning to develop a plan to work within the confines of the existing campus and to mitigate safety issues. The preconstruction process also procured the best methods and strategies for performing construction in the extremely cold winter conditions of Maine.

Environmental issues are an important component of the project and were an integral part of the preconstruction process. The building will incorporate several sustainable systems and is expected attain LEEDs certification upon completion. The goal of preconstruction was to establish the most cost effective systems and methods that would produce the least environmentally damaging impact. Green components of the design include using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified woods for the interior millwork and exterior siding. Likewise, a significant amount of building materials will be produced within a 500-mile radius, contain a high recycled content and no volatile organic compounds (VOC). Fiberglass windows and Agrifiber products are also important elements of the environmental integrity of the design. Mechanical systems that run with maximum efficiency will be installed in the building. Furthermore, indoor air quality requirements as established by the US Green Building Council will be followed.

Architect: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson