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Work continues on construction of the new Omaha Service Center. Crews had to pump water from sheltered areas of the work site to keep things moving after a summer storm, said Ed Thiele, project engineer in Facilities Management.
The new facility, notable for its modern design and environmentally sustainable construction, is located on a 13-acre tract on Lindbergh Drive near the Storz Expressway. It will replace the Service Center on South Saddle Creek Road and is scheduled to open in early 2011.
OPPD's goal is to earn a LEED Gold rating under the rating system of the U.S. Green Building Council. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification signifies an environmentally-sustainable building.
The new Center will include energy-saving features like LED lighting and daylight harvesting. It also will have sustainability features like water saving plumbing fixtures and recyclable outside siding. OPPD is incorporating the sustainability features to demonstrate their applicability, a benefit for customers interested in the application.
The new Omaha Center was made possible by a land swap between longtime neighbors UNMC and OPPD. The University of Nebraska and UNMC will pay $12 million of the $14.5 million construction cost to fully replace the existing facility.
Dozens of OPPD workers, who will be based at the new building, are tasked with repairing and maintaining power lines and underground cable in the metro area.
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