On August 5th, Salt Lake City Fire Station No. 14, built by Zwick Construction, received the most respected construction award in the United States from ENR (Engineering News-Record). The project was recognized as the best project in the nation, within the government/public building sector. Twenty total projects were honored as the best within their sector, ranging from Higher-Ed to Office Space.
Fire Station No.14 is the first net-zero fire station in the United States. Producing a project like this required significant coordination between Zwick, the architect, and owner. The design included geothermal heating/cooling, solar panels, and 100% renewable sources. The geothermal heating/cooling involved drilling 38 bore holes into the ground, over 300 feet deep. To ensure that everything worked properly, the team had to perform significant testing, experimenting, and then subsequent modifications.
In addition to the sustainable features of the building, equally as impressive is the aesthetic. Teams were faced with the challenge of building a facility that serves the occupational needs of firefighters while also providing a comfortable living space.
The successful combination of function and form is the reason Project Manager Joshua Jackson believes the fire station deserves the award.
Joshua said, “The architect designed a unique building rich with functional features, not just the appearance. It combines beauty, aesthetics, and form and function.”
Inside, the project has four apparatus bays, common areas, a community room, large kitchen, and living quarters.
Even with intense challenges and high expectations from the owners, Zwick delivered the remarkable project in February 2018, and even today continues to receive lofty praise for its completion.
Congratulations to the team for their passion and integrity in delivering this difficult, yet rewarding project.
