Project description
Cator, Ruma & Associates provided mechanical and electrical design for the new Hydro Building at Colorado State University’s SPUR Campus within the National Western Center. Serving as a signature gateway facility, the building houses research laboratories, office space for CSU and Denver Water, a three-story atrium with a dynamic water feature, a 200-seat flex event center, and public education spaces focused on water research and policy.
The Hydro Building is designed as a net zero ready facility and operates without natural gas. It connects to the campus district energy system, which distributes ambient temperature loop water similar to a geothermal system. The building utilizes a heat pump chiller plant with four 250-ton heat pump chillers capable of simultaneous heating and cooling, allowing internal load recovery before rejecting or absorbing heat from the campus loop. Additional energy-efficient strategies include a Konvekta 1-coil laboratory design, high-efficiency energy recovery systems, variable air volume laboratory exhaust, LED lighting throughout, and electrical infrastructure ready to support rooftop photovoltaic arrays.
Guiding Principles for the Design
- Electrification and Decarbonization
- District Energy Integration
- Laboratory Energy Optimization
- Heat Recovery First Strategy
- Public Engagement and Mission Alignment