Kennebec Water District Operations Center

Kennebec Water District Operations Center

When the Kennebec Water District set out to build its new operations center, the municipal water supplier expressed two fundamental goals: create a combined space for its administration and maintenance staff and reduce its carbon footprint.

The Kennebec Water District, the first water district in the United States, used to be housed in two buildings divided by the Kennebec River. One of those buildings had been occupied since 1878. To modernize equipment and bring staff together in one location, a new 21,000-square-foot building was constructed and designed to last 100 years.

The new operations center is designed to promote long-term cost savings for the company and its customers by utilizing durable and green materials, such as alternative cementitious concrete, which utilizes slag โ€“ a byproduct of industrial processes, to reduce embodied carbon from traditional cement.

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Client
Kennebec Water District
Location
Waterville, ME
Square Feet
22,000
Completion Year
2023
The building design includes heated indoor space for storing heavy equipment and for carrying out light maintenance.
The heated indoor garage space enables the Kennebec Water District to store multiple pieces of equipment inside, extending their longevity, reducing cold season layup requirements, and preventing potential freezing damage.
The building is estimated to offset the emissions equivalent of more than 3,000 gallons of gasoline consumed each year through a geothermal heating and cooling system.
The district also plans to utilize a future off-site solar array to help the facility become carbon-neutral by producing more energy than it consumes.
The interior design features are inspired by the various states of water: liquid, gas, and ice.
A welcoming lobby space in the new operations center enables customers to visit the Kennebec Water District, and pay their bills in person.
This collaborative conference room allows the Kennebec Water District to host internal and external meetings. The room features flexible furniture, audiovisual capabilities, and floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the room with natural light.
Landscape design with native plants enhances the entrance of the new operations center.
Photography by Ben Gancsos

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