The Craftsbury Outdoor Center has broken ground on a new activity lodge and fitness center, which is scheduled to open in May 2014. The net-zero facility will replace the existing Touring Center.
The mission of the Center is to support lifelong sports, sustainability and environmental conservation. The Center is committed to becoming carbon neutral. To that end, the new facility will be built with as much local wood as possible. Hot water for the buildings will come from waste heat generated by the Center’s snowmaking system.
The activity lodge and fitness facility, yet to be given an official name, will serve as a four-season event and athletic space for the Craftsbury Outdoor Center community.
The building includes a large ski lodge/event space with a ski and bike shop, a cafe, a fitness and weight room, and ski waxing area. Two wings of the building are connected by a large central deck where visitors can socialize.
The new fitness area will be an inviting, light-filled workout space for expanded classes in CrossFit, indoor weight-training, yoga, stretching and fitness.
Major material, structural, and aesthetic decisions were made based on local sourcing and total carbon impact. An energy modeling computer simulation was used to optimize solar orientation, insulation values and the form of the building.
The new facility will rely on passive ventilation for the distribution of heat instead of a conventional, energy-intensive heating and ventilation system. There will be state-of-the-art composting toilets. The building roof will support more than 3,000 square feet of photovoltaic solar panels to supply power to the building, with any surplus applied to the rest of the energy needs of the Center.
Patrick Kane of Kane Architecture designed the new facility in collaboration with Artisan Engineering for structural engineering, Marsh Engineering for civil engineering and site planning, and Pearson Associates for mechanical, electrical and plumbing services. Steve Pitkin is the project manager, and Spates Construction of Derby is the general contractor.
Be sure to check in on the project when you’re at the Center throughout this fall and winter. While the construction activity should be contained to the area immediately around the building site, we would like to apologize in advance for any disruptions the project causes to COC trail users and program participants. Whether you are a summer mountain biker or runner, a winter skier, a yoga or CrossFit devotee, a sculling or running camper, this building has been designed to help us serve you better, and we hope you share our excitement with the project and look forward to its completion!
