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Turner & Townsend leads construction of gorilla research campus in Rwanda

UK-headquartered consultant Turner & Townsend is acting as client’s representative and project manager for a five-hectare research and education campus for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Rwanda.

The charitable fund promotes the protection of endangered mountain gorillas and their habitats.

Situated near Volcanoes National Park, the Ellen DeGeneres Campus – named in honour of a donation given by the American television celebrity – will include laboratories, a library, office and meeting spaces, classrooms, an educational exhibit and on-site residences for students and scientists.

To limit the campus’ impact on the environment it will have a rainwater harvesting system, green roofs, plantings of some 250,000 native plant species and a constructed wetland to treat wastewater and promote biodiversity.

To engage local people, the campus will be built with local materials, supplies and labour.

Some $2.7m has been spent so far, Turner & Townsend said.

Seventy percent of all workers are Rwandese and 31% are women.

Image: The five-hectare research and education campus is near Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda (Image by Mass Design Group)

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