At the heart of Denver, the Auraria Campus is a beacon of knowledge and opportunity, serving over 40,000 students, faculty, and staff from three institutions—Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and the University of Colorado Denver. An intricate part of Auraria Campus’s mission is providing comfortable and conducive environments for learning and working. The Campus HVAC Replacement project marks a significant step towards this goal while enriching the local community.
The RMH Group (RMH Group) is the prime consultant on the project, providing mechanical and electrical engineering services focused on replacing an aging mechanical infrastructure. This project provides more efficient and reliable service for nine key buildings on campus, covering over 1.25 million square feet. It touches classrooms, laboratories, and offices that form the core of a vibrant academic community. An updated mechanical infrastructure is essential for the continued operation of these buildings. A phased schedule allows the campus to remain operational, reflecting RMH Group’s commitment to minimizing disruption while maximizing impact.
RMH Group considers HVAC upgrades more than just regular maintenance and believes it’s an imperative response to aging equipment and more frequent extreme weather conditions. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, based on data collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, heat waves are steadily increasing, occurring more frequently, lasting longer on average, and becoming more intense since the 1960s.1 This likely does not surprise many of us within the Denver metro area. In July, we saw three consecutive days when temperatures reached or even exceeded 100 degrees. In contrast, January 2024 ranked as the eighth-coldest four-day period since 1951.2 With such varying degrees of weather, maintaining thermal comfort is vital, particularly for institutions like the AHEC.
Our project with AHEC aims to provide practical solutions and the thermal comfort of all the students, staff, and faculty on the campus. We are all about creating an environment that is not just conducive to learning but also to fostering knowledge and productivity under the best conditions," shares Natasha Hernandez, RMH Group's vice president and higher education market lead.
By upgrading HVAC systems and replacing antiquated infrastructure, RMH Group is not just maintaining the smooth operation of these buildings but also enhancing the environment where our future leaders, innovators, and change-makers can grow and thrive. This commitment stretches beyond client satisfaction and human comfort. The firm is tuning into the pulse of our changing climate and adapting our systems to meet these challenges head-on.
“We believe in creating lasting, sustainable solutions while catering to our client’s immediate needs,” Natasha stated. “This project’s impact will extend far beyond the buildings themselves.”
So, whether it is an antiquated system, extreme heat, or cold, AHEC can count on RMH Group’s expertise and commitment to providing top-notch HVAC solutions for its campus stakeholders and the surrounding communities. With RMH Group’s expertise and commitment to excellence, the firm is confident that this project signifies a leading example of how HVAC upgrades can transform learning environments.