Local firm helps MSU building receive national recognition
BOZEMAN, MONT., December 15, 2018 – Montana State University’s newest building wears a mighty badge of honor. Norm Asbjornson Hall, to house the College of Engineering, is one of ten buildings in the state to be certified as LEED Platinum, the U.S. Green Building Council’s highest certification.
Associated Construction Engineering Inc. is proud to have provided the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems design on this very Montana building.
“This was a major undertaking, and our firm was excited for the opportunity,” said Todd Meling, a vice president at ACE and the Billings office’s branch manager. “It’s remarkable how much cost savings we achieved for this building given the its size and significant energy requirements. We couldn’t be happier to have been part of the team that helped MSU reach its goals for the Norm Asbjornson Hall.”
ACE’s design for the building incorporated the university’s geothermal resources and our state’s mild summer climate for its heating and cooling needs. Norm Asbjornson Hall features a closed-loop geothermal system, an innovative and highly-efficient HVAC system, that circulates water through pipes to a depth of 500 feet. The hall is the first building of several planned geothermal heat pump systems to be tied into the central campus geothermal loop system. Design to maximize the use of daylight and natural ventilation was utilized to increase efficiency as well as the use of LED lights with daylight harvesting and thermochromic glass. A water use reduction of 41 percent was achieved through the selection of low-flow indoor fixtures.
A Montana native and MSU graduate, Mr. Asbjornson founded AAON, a publicly traded HVAC manufacturer based in Tulsa, Okla. His company’s equipment is used throughout the building.
Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering
About ACE
Associated Construction Engineering Inc. (ACE) was established in 1987 and has become one of the largest mechanical/electrical engineering consulting firms in the region. We currently staff offices in Belgrade, Billings, and Missoula, Montana; Minot, North Dakota; and Sheridan, Wyoming. Professional engineering services in the disciplines of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, energy analysis, and special systems are available for commercial, industrial, and residential building projects.
