Fredrick Sutton Geology University of Utah

OVERVIEW

Housing the University’s Department of Geology & Geophysics, this four-story building has become the “front door” to the College of Mines and Earth Science. It features state-of-the-art classrooms, labs and offices that foster collaboration and innovative research. A two-story section of the building showcases an educational display area and lobby, highlighting the many discoveries made by U of U faculty and alumni in the fields of geology and geophysics.

Early on in the project, the building structure was switched from steel to concrete to minimize the effects of vibration to accommodate the University Seismology Department and its monitoring equipment, housed in this building. The construction solution included a concrete pan slab and shear wall structure that minimizes vibration to less than 2,000 micro-inches per second.

Dedicated in 2009, construction of the Gold Level LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building required stringent site management, the use of recycled and low VOC content materials along with numerous other Green Building Practices. University students in a Green Building class submitted numerous ideas that were incorporated into the building.

AWARDS &
TESTIMONIALS

• AGC of Utah 2008 Building Project of the Year (Higher Education <$25M)
• AIA Utah 2009 People’s Choice Award for Excellence in Architecture Design
• Intermountain ACI Chapter 2009 Excellence in Concrete Construction
• US Green Building Council LEED Gold