The Department of the Army has officially broken ground on a new barracks project at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) that will feature sustainable building materials the Army Public Affairs recently reported.
Designed to accommodate 168 Soldiers from the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force, the new facility will allow the Army to assess the advantages of incorporating sustainable materials and design practices into military construction. This project aims to boost building resilience, enhance environmental quality, and foster healthier defense communities. The 89,000-square-foot, three-story structure adopts a “twin barracks” design, consisting of two 44,500-square-foot buildings. The layout includes a combination of four-bed, two-bath and two-bed, one-bath apartments, providing a balance between privacy and communal living with single-occupancy rooms and shared kitchen and living areas. This modern design prioritizes both community and comfort.
“With more innovative building techniques, the Corps of Engineers has developed a barracks that is both cost-effective and high in quality, ensuring a better living experience for our Soldiers while also reducing emissions and environmental impact,” stated Paul Farnan, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy, and environment.
The Army is employing sustainable design strategies and materials to decrease utility and operating costs, improve resilience to extreme weather, and enhance the quality of life for Soldiers, their families, and civilians. This initiative seeks to not only improve living conditions for Soldiers but also to demonstrate the financial benefits of using sustainable materials, including lower long-term maintenance costs and increased building efficiency.
“Joint Base Lewis-McChord is dedicated to providing modern, high-quality living spaces for all our enlisted personnel,” said Maj. Gen. Matthew McFarlane, deputy commander of I Corps. “We are especially excited about this new construction; our Soldiers are our most valuable asset, and we are intensifying efforts to improve their quality of life.”
The materials selected for the JBLM barracks aim to reduce embodied carbon—emissions from the production, transportation, and installation of building materials—by at least 30%.
“We are demonstrating that it’s possible to build better, save money, increase resilience, and reduce emissions while still delivering top-quality living spaces for our Soldiers,” added Farnan.
The $100 million construction budget for this project, approved under the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, represents a strategic investment in more efficient and durable military housing.
The project is expected to be completed by FY 2027, with the barracks ready for occupancy. The lessons learned from this pilot project will inform future military construction initiatives, including the FY 2025 JBLM Mass Timber Barracks project, potentially leading to further cost savings and efficiency improvements across Army infrastructure.
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