A groundbreaking ceremony was recently held at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) for a unique barracks pilot program that will utilize sustainable building materials to reduce its carbon footprint. The project is a joint effort between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, JBLM, U.S. Army I Corps, and Assistant Secretary of the Army leadership along with Washington State congressional representatives.
The new barracks will provide improved living conditions for 168 Soldiers at JBLM and has been selected as part of the Sustainable Building Material Pilot program outlined in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act out of 130 other Army installations. The construction will adhere to the new standard set by the Army’s 4/2 module which includes four-and-two-bedroom units with a kitchen and living area.
The USACE Seattle District is responsible for managing architectural design while receiving support from research labs at ERDC (U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center). Additionally, Seattle District’s military construction branch is leading planning efforts and overseeing construction on this $57 million project awarded to Puyallup-based Absher Construction Company.