R.E. Smith Construction Company

Curtis Rice, an employee of RE Smith Construction, was named “Superintendent of the Year” in Springfield’s recent “Salute to Construction” Awards. Rice was recognized for his outstanding work as superintendent on the Botanical Center of Springfield Green-County Parks, a LEED qualified construction project, which opened in October.

“Curtis provided exceptional management for the project,” said Jodie Adams, Springfield-Greene County Parks Director, “Early in the project we lost 90 days due to weather and unsuitable soils. Curtis made up for those days and brought the project in on time.”

Rice was nominated by project architect Tyler J. Peck, AIA of H Design Group, the Botanical Center’s design team. Nominations for the prestigious award were drawn from superintendents of all Springfield region projects during 2010, and were voted on by members of the Springfield General Contractors Association. Springfield, third largest city in Missouri, has taken leadership in requiring LEED construction standards on all publicly funded projects to encourage “green” building practices.

Rice has been an employee of RE Smith Construction, a regional commercial construction company with offices in Joplin and Springfield, since 1992.

In honor of Earth Day, The Springfield Botanical Center and RE Smith Construction hosted a construction tour of the Botanical facility for the Emerging Green Builders Association of Springfield, U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Missouri Heartland Chapter. EGB is an association of young professionals dedicated to the concept of environmentally sensible construction practices. Tyler J. Peck, project architect for the Botanical Center from H Design Group, coordinated the tour.

The 19,000 square foot center is located in Close Memorial Park at 2400 South Scenic Avenue , and is a Springfield Green County Park Board project. Project architects and engineers designed the center to meet Silver Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) status.

“The building is designed for energy efficiency and environmental sensibility from the ground up,” said Mike Freitas, project manager for RE Smith Construction, general contractor for the project. “For example, it features a water collection system to utilize run-off rain water for irrigation of landscaping at the center, and will utilize a geothermal field and ground source heat pump for the HVAC system.”

The Center will provide public spaces for continuing education in landscaping and botanicals, as well as rentable space for wedding receptions and other events held in the Close Memorial Park gardens. In addition, it will house administrative offices for the Parks and the University of Missouri Extension offices, and will serve park visitors, botanical students, and experts in botany and horticulture.

Project architects are Brent M. Stevens and Tyler J. Peck, from H Design Group, with Mike Freitas as Project manager and Curtis Rice as superintendent for RE Smith Construction. Engineers are Mettemeyer Engineering (civil and structural) and Colvin Jones Davis (mechanical, electrical, plumbing). Jason Hainline, senior project manager Architectural Energy Corporation, is the LEED consultant for the project.