Atlanta-based Juneau Construction broke ground last month on the $15.6 million Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center, a two-story, 50,000-sf educational facility in Buford, Ga., that will feature interactive exhibits exploring the impact of water on society. The building is sited on the grounds of a water treatment facility that includes 200 acres of preserved land with nature trails. Designed to achieve a LEED Silver rating, the facility will span a dry ravine and will include a cascading water feature that will function like a cooling tower, reusing water leaving the water treatment facility.
Scheduled to open in fall of 2006, the facility was designed by Lord, Aeck and Sargent, with Uzun & Case as structural engineer and Newcomb & Boyd as M/E/P and fire-protection engineer, all based in Atlanta.