Pro Con built Bowdoin College hockey arena earns LEED certification for new construction

According to Pro Con Inc. the Sidney J. Watson Arena on the campus of Bowdoin College has earned LEED for new construction certification under the U.S Green Building Council rating system. This certification makes the Watson Arena one of the first LEED Certified hockey arenas in the United States. Pro Con Inc. was the construction manager for the $20 million project, which was completed in November 2008. Bear Mountain Design AC, LTD of Barnard, Vt. was the project architect. The 68,200 s/f arena features a 90-ft x 200-ft ice surface, seating capacity for 1900 and standing room for 600 around the concourse. The arena has exposed steel trusses, masonry columns and wood accents throughout the facility. The athletic complex features a 2-story atrium lobby, large locker rooms, offices, training/treatment rooms, equipment storage and a 360 car parking area. Throughout the project, PCI worked closely with the design team, LEED consultants, and the Sustainable Bowdoin Office to ensure that the LEED certification goal would be achieved in the most efficient and cost effective manner possible. The arena's environmentally friendly features include parking for alternative transportation vehicles, reduced light pollution, water reducing plumbing fixtures, enhanced building commissioning, optimization of energy performance and use of Green Power. The ice arena has energy efficient refrigeration & de-humidification systems and utilizes recycled water. Pro Con Inc worked with subcontractors and suppliers to ensure that as many products as possible contained a high recycled content, were manufactured or extracted regionally, and contained minimal amounts of Volatile Organic Compounds. All wood products utilized during construction were urea-formaldehyde free and Forest Stewardship Council Certified. To minimize construction waste, PCI and Bowdoin introduced a comprehensive waste management program which resulted in the majority of construction waste being diverted from disposal. Bowdoin, a residential, undergraduate liberal arts institution enrolls 1,710 students and has 120 buildings on a 215-acre campus. The Watson Arena is in important part of Bowdoin's commitment to reduce CO2 emissions, to use 100% green energy, and to have all new campus construction LEED Certified.