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Contract awarded for new Forest Supervisor's Office in Kamiah A contract has been awarded to Quality Contractors, LLC of Deary, Idaho for the construction of an energy–efficient and uniquely–designed building that will serve as the new Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests Supervisor’s Office in Kamiah. The company is expected to break ground on the project this summer. The new Supervisor’s Office will serve as home base for more than 70 permanent and seasonal USDA Forest Service employees and is being strategically designed not only to serve the needs of the building’s employees and customers, but also to highlight a variety of wood products. Timber products in the nearly $9 million facility will be prominently featured in the building’s structural, interior, and exterior design, with cross–laminated timber roofing and raw timber support beams artfully placed throughout the office space. “One of our primary design goals is to showcase wood as an affordable and sustainable building material with diverse applications,” said Forest Supervisor Cheryl Probert of the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests. “Our forests are a major contributor to the wood products industry, and I am excited to showcase this connection in our new Supervisor's Office. I hope that our building can inspire others to use wood in their own projects.” Mosaic Architects of Helena, Mont. designed the building site to mimic the landscape’s natural features, with a sloped roof, large windows designed to optimize natural lighting, and a subsurface floor level with an open floorplan to enhance collaboration between employees. The 15,000-square-foot, two-story office building will consist of offices and meeting space, along with specialized areas that include a laboratory and storage for historical artifacts. Embedded within the design is the foundational Forest Service priority of sustainable resource stewardship. Innovative technologies like improved insulation, shaded windows that keep heat out in the summer and trap warm air in winter, and variable climate control will minimize the building’s operating costs and allow the new design to exceed the most recent energy codes by 30 percent. “We are pleased to be investing in our community with this building that will also highlight the history and culture of the Clearwater Valley,” said Probert. The completion of the new Forest Supervisor’s Office is expected by Fall of 2021.  An artist’s concept of the inside of the new Forest Supervisor’s Office in Kamiah.  |
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