Design Build

Wells Concrete’s new Brighton facility consolidates two existing Denver locations into a single, comprehensive manufacturing operation to enhance production capability and flexibility for the Denver market. The 122,673-square-foot precast facility sits on 64.5 acres and features year-round indoor production capabilities for architectural precast and outdoor structural forms, with lifting capacity upgraded from 15-ton to 25-ton cranes to accommodate larger products and higher volumes.

The manufacturing facility incorporates long-line prestressing forms and an expanded inventory of movable forms to meet diverse project demands. The versatile production facility enables identical product manufacturing with consistent quality while maintaining flexibility to meet demanding schedules and minimize project risk. The specialized facility includes a 4,500-square-foot mold shop, steel shop, lunchroom, office, maintenance bays, boiler and air-compressor room, production area, beam bed/storage area, tool room, QC lab, chemical storage area, and washroom.

As the project’s mechanical and electrical engineer, RMH provided mechanical and electrical design and construction-phase services for the new concrete pre-stress plant. Services included chilled water, steam, compressed air, power, and natural gas systems to support the specialized manufacturing operations.

Home to 11 federal agencies, the Byron G. Rogers Federal Office Building in downtown Denver was targeted by its owner, the U.S. General Services Administration, for an extensive modernization project to significantly improve energy efficiency and deliver advanced updates to this important example of 1960s-era Federal architecture. This design-build project involved comprehensive upgrades to all major building systems housed within the 18-story, 494,000-square-foot office tower and minor improvements to the adjacent courthouse. The upgrades are projected to reduce energy use in the office tower by nearly 70 percent relative to current levels.

In addition to improving building envelope insulation, the most significant energy savings were achieved by implementing a chilled-beam system to replace the building’s inefficient, inflexible mechanical system. A chilled-beam system is an advanced method for distributing heating and cooling throughout the building with minimal energy waste. It primarily uses water at a moderate temperature to condition building spaces. After capturing heat generated by building occupants, computers, lighting, and solar gain, a thermal tank in the basement stores and circulates this heat through the building’s chilled-beam system as needed.

The retrofitted building features additional energy-saving technologies, including 100% LED lighting, enhanced daylighting, and roof-mounted solar thermal collectors that provide all of the building’s domestic hot water. Water-conserving strategies are expected to reduce water use by 40 percent. The comprehensive modernization positions this Federal facility as a model for sustainable government building operations while preserving its architectural significance.

As the project’s mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineer, RMH provided comprehensive MEP engineering services for this transformative modernization project.

RMH provided mechanical and electrical engineering services for the LEED Gold-certified CAB Barracks Complex at Fort Carson, Colorado—a $94.9 million design-build project supporting the 13th Combat Aviation Brigade. From the outset, the team prioritized energy efficiency, livability, and cost-effective delivery to achieve net-zero energy performance.

Spanning 370,156 square feet, the complex includes three H-shaped, four-story buildings with apartment-style units for 994 soldiers. The design integrates advanced sustainable systems to reduce energy consumption and enhance occupant comfort.

Key energy-efficient features include:

  • Radiant heating and cooling with active chilled beams
  • Heat recovery chiller and 5,000-gallon thermal storage tank
  • Dedicated outdoor air systems with heat recovery ventilation
  • Solar thermal panels that meet 30% of domestic hot water demand
  • Gravity thin-film shower drain heat exchangers
  • 400 kW ground-mounted photovoltaic arrays offsetting 25% of annual energy use
  • Vacancy and occupancy sensors for lighting control
  • Automated window sensors and LED lighting throughout

RMH also engineered the adjacent Central Boiler and Chiller Facility (CBCF), which supports the barracks and future development on the Butts Field Plateau. The CBCF includes six condensing boilers, three 400-ton chillers, and over 81,000 feet of hot and chilled water distribution piping.

This project set a new benchmark for sustainable military housing and supports Fort Carson’s transformation into a net-zero energy installation.

Originally a World War II munitions plant, Building 48 has been transformed into a LEED Gold-certified and SITES Silver-certified office for the Department of the Interior’s Interior Business Center.

The project involved converting a 1940s-era warehouse into a modern, energy-efficient workspace. RMH designed advanced mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems that facilitated the building’s net-zero energy profile. A key feature was installing a Water Source Heat Pump (WSHP) system, which included perimeter single-zone units and additional units for interior zones and ventilation. This system capitalizes on Colorado’s dry climate through direct evaporative cooling, achieving a 75% reduction in energy consumption in shoulder seasons.

The electrical design focused on complete building electrification, incorporating three 240kW electric boilers that work with the WSHP. RMH kept the switchgear capacity below 4000A, creatively repurposing an old transformer for EV charging stations. A 200kW solar array on the roof and site solar at the Denver Federal Center supplied 100% renewable energy.

The USAFA Hosmer Visitor Center, located just outside the North Gate of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, stands out in innovative engineering and sustainability. Covering 34,000 square feet as part of the TrueNorth Commons development, this facility plays a crucial role in the local educational and economic landscape.

RMH provided design and construction phase services for the Visitor Center’s mechanical, electrical, fire protection, specialty lighting, and low-voltage technology infrastructure systems. The design reflects the Academy’s four-class system while enhancing aerodynamics, featuring a striking Delta-wing roof inspired by the Air Force Thunderbirds and the Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk. Mechanical systems are cleverly integrated into the sides, preserving the sleek profile.

The radiant-slab cooling system maintains temperature in the impressive 80-foot-tall south-facing atrium, ensuring energy efficiency and comfort. Dynamic lighting highlights the tiered roof’s movement, amplifying the building’s architectural appeal.

The Lockheed Martin Space Systems Gateway Center at the Waterton Canyon campus marks a significant leap in satellite production capabilities. This $350 million, 266,000-square-foot facility focuses on designing, manufacturing, and testing satellites. Within its expansive layout, 175,000 square feet of SCIF support secure operations for national security missions.

The Gateway Center features a high bay Class 100k clean room, enabling the simultaneous construction and testing of large and small satellites. It also houses a large thermal vacuum chamber that replicates the harsh conditions of space, allowing for rigorous satellite testing prior to launch. Complementing these facilities is a sizable anechoic chamber for safely testing satellite antennas, sensors, and communication systems, as well as a large volume airlock that streams the departure of completed spacecraft in a controlled, clean environment.

The project includes redundant power systems, uninterruptible power supplies, generators, and a central utility plant, achieved through meticulously coordinating highly technical equipment.

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