KOOTENAI ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE – NEW HEADQUARTERS
Over the past forty years, Kootenai Electric Cooperative has experienced substantial growth in its service territory, requiring a new facility to accommodate their current and future needs. As part of a design-build team, PARIC constructed member-owned Kootenai Electric Cooperative’s new headquarters in Rathdrum, Idaho.
The site of the new KEC headquarters sits on an old 45-acre farm field. The initial geotechnical report for the project estimated that approximately 12 inches of topsoil and 73,000 cubic yards of material would need to be stripped, stockpiled or exported from the site. However, as clearing began, our team discovered that the actual topsoil depth ranged from two to three feet which exceeded the expected 12 inches. This discrepancy added an estimated 70,000 to 100,000 cubic yards of material to manage, driving projected costs into seven figures and prolonging the intended schedule by 18 months. To address this challenge, PARIC implemented a strategic solution. First, the team validated assumptions by laying out a grid across the 45-acre site and digging test pits to determine accurate topsoil depths. With this data, PARIC devised a plan to keep all material on-site. We designated three acres for a borrow pit, excavating approximately 40-feet deep to mine structural material needed to raise the site’s grade. Excess topsoil was placed in the borrow pit and mounded on top, eliminating the need for imported structural material. This innovative approach not only resolved the issue but also delivered significant savings. By retaining all soil on-site and avoiding costly exports and imports, PARIC achieved approximately 60% cost savings compared to initial estimates, while maintaining the project schedule.
The new 180,000 sq.ft. headquarters facility consists of a two-story office building, warehouse, enclosed vehicle bay, maintenance bay, covered material and parking buildings. Kootenai Electric Cooperative is equipped with state-of-the-art audio and visual systems including a war room with a TV wall consisting of (8) 80” displays.
The facility also includes an indoor training center which offers an education space where linemen from across the country can learn to work on energized power lines in a classroom-style setting. This indoor training center is the only one of its kind west of the Mississippi River.
Kootenai Electric Cooperative serves 30,000 members and will allow for a partnership with the nearby North Idaho College Workforce Training Center.
