Manhattan Construction Co. completed the $78-million, 30,000-seat Apogee Stadium for the University of North Texas in July 2011. The stadium earned LEED-Platinum certification, the first collegiate stadium in the nation to achieve that designation
Apogee Stadium employs sustainable concepts, including reuse of the existing Eagle Point Golf Course as the project site and incorporation of native landscaping, low-emitting materials and recycled materials into the overall design. It also makes use of alternative transportation and parking theories.
"Permeable paving systems were installed throughout the project to reduce wastewater runoff. These paving systems, in addition to subsoil drainage piping, are used for onsite water collection. The water collection, in conjunction with an onsite well, is used for irrigation, reducing the need for water provided by the city," says Wesley Weaver, senior project manager at Manhattan Construction.
"Energy-efficient mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems were implemented throughout the project. Lighting and mechanical control systems were put in place for the normal day-to-day use of the stadium in addition to game-day programming. This allows specific control in key areas without having to have the entire system on," Weaver adds.
Coordinating the logistics of moving people and material around a college campus was a daily, even hourly, challenge during the construction process. The project also bordered a residential neighborhood, which affected work hours and noise restrictions.
Additional challenges involved the existing utility corridor that provided service to the athletic facility and dormitory. Almost all of the utilities had to be lowered because of new grading requirements and involved detailed coordination meetings.
"The project focused on provisions for a very successful energy model that should provide energy savings for the university," Weaver says. "Working on the first new construction LEED-Platinum stadium was a great challenge."
Key Players
Owner: University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
General Contractor: Manhattan Construction Co., Dallas
Lead Design: HKS Inc., Dallas
Civil: Jaster-Quintanilla LLP, Dallas
Structural: Walter P. Moore, Dallas
MEP: Smith, Seckman, Reid Inc., Nashville, Tenn.
Submitted by Manhattan Construction Co.
