Advanced Engineering Building at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
las vegas
BEST PROJECT
Sent by: CORE construction
Owner: Division of Public Works of the State
Main design company: PGAL LLC
General contractor: CORE construction
Civil Engineer: Poggemeyer Group Inc.
Structural Engineer: Walter P Moore
MEP Engineer: MSA consulting engineers
To support the growing interest in STEM fields and engineering, which are among the fastest-growing fields of study at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, this three-story, 55 million-square-foot facility dollars will support research in fields such as robotics, cyber security, biomedicine. engineering, energy and water and artificial intelligence.
At 52,313 square meters, the Advanced Engineering Building (AEB) features an outdoor aviary enclosure for drone testing, fabrication spaces, open-concept dry and wet labs, a courtyard and other collaborative spaces .
A “flexatorium” is the first of its kind on campus and allows UNLV to support signature activities and larger classes. The space serves as a conference room by day and event space by night, equipped with auditorium-style seating that can be folded away based on event needs.
Photo by 501 Studios Photography
Completed in October 2023, the AEB sits on a concrete foundation with a structural steel frame and features a metal and composite panel exterior and a single-layer roof. Metal, wood and glass finishes and accents adorn the interior along with polished concrete floors. The large curtain wall glass on the exterior facade brings natural light into the facility, while the exterior metal panel cladding and industrial aluminum shutters give the building a futuristic look. Solar panels and water conservation technologies also improve the facility’s environmental footprint.
Before foundation work could begin, the project team first had to unravel, reroute and reconnect vital underground communication lines. The team also found areas where the water table and calix were not as deep as shown in the geotechnical and environmental reports.
The water lines serving AEB’s HVAC systems came from a central plant more than a quarter mile away, requiring crews to dig and install underground water lines through of active parking lots and pedestrian walkways within the campus shopping center.
Before the construction of the AEB, this lot was an open space with grass, benches and several 50-year-old Mondell pines. Sections of these mature trees were salvaged and repurposed into student benches for several of the collaborative spaces.
