Construction is projected to start March 2021.
The current estimated budget for the project is $6.25 million.
Platte River needed a modern, highly secure campus to better manage the complex technologies and the critical infrastructure necessary to power its owner communities. The new campus also allows better access to energy experts and the policy leaders who are guiding a cleaner, more diverse energy future.
- The old facilities were built in the 1970s and did not meet modern building codes or requirements by the ADA.
- Staff worked in less efficient environments and couldn’t take full advantage of the advanced technologies used to operate a modern generation and transmission system.
- Federal regulatory standards concerning transmission grid management requires highly sophisticated security systems that weren’t envisioned when our previous campus was built.
- Modifications to the previous headquarters building would have cost more and would not have functioned as well as the newly constructed campus.
- It did not fully accommodate the diverse needs of the community or our workforce.
The cost to build the new campus was approximately $51 million.
The number of retail customers served by Platte River’s owner communities has more than doubled over the past 30 years and continues to grow. With the new headquarters, we can easily expand our workforce when necessary to accommodate the needs of our growing owner communities.
Platte River’s employees are its most valuable resource so it is critical to provide a quality work environment to accommodate them. The new headquarters includes:
- Adaptable, flexible spaces designed to enhance work productivity
- Private and collaborative indoor and outdoor spaces to support and bridge communications between departments
- Improved accessibility for staff and guests
- A work environment that incorporates health and safety enhancements
Platte River’s communities are increasingly interested in their energy options – including how electricity is made and how to use it more efficiently. The new campus provides a more welcoming environment by offering:
- Functional public meeting spaces
- Expanded access
- Improved access to and participation in Platte River board meetings
- Accommodations for multiple modes of transportation
- Space to engage with energy policy leaders
Photos of the completed headquarters building and campus are available here and renderings can be found here. Key features include:
- Energy efficient, LEED Silver certification
- Rooftop solar generation
- Regionally sourced building materials (when possible)
- Native trees and shrubbery
- Drought tolerant grasses
The new headquarters campus includes a solar energy installation, battery storage and geothermal heat exchange systems that provides up to 50% of the campus’s energy needs. Remaining power comes from the City of Fort Collins’ green power program.
We worked with the CSU Institute for the Built Environment to determine and meet the quality energy efficiency needs for the new building. Through the design and construction, we aimed to achieve a Leadership in Energy Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification status which addresses sustainability, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources and indoor environmental quality. The certification is currently under review.
The new headquarters building is approximately 54,000 square feet. With the other buildings, the campus is approximately 96,000 of finished square feet.
Following approval from the City of Fort Collins in late 2017, construction began in spring 2018 and was completed in spring 2020. A construction timeline can be viewed here.
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