STATE OF COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

FY 2021-22 CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION/CAPITAL RENEWAL PROJECT REQUEST- NARRATIVE (CC_CR-N) Capital Construction Fund Amount (CCF): $5,146,026 Cash Fund Amount (CF): $15,438,080 Funding Type: State-funded project Intercept Program Request? (Yes/No): No Institution Name: University of Colorado Denver Project Title: Engineering and Physical Sciences Building | Renovation Project Phase (Phase _of_): 1 of 2 State Controller Project Number

(if continuation): X Capital Construction (CC) Project Type: Capital Renewal (CR) Year First Requested: FY 2016-17 Campus Priority Number: 1 of 2 Name & Title of Preparer: Cary Weatherford Email of Preparer: [email protected] Institution Signature Approval: 3/29/2020 OSPB Signature Approval: Date CDHE Signature Approval: Date

A. FACILITY PLANNING DOCUMENTATION: CDHE approved Facility Program Plan Yes X No N/A Date Approved June 2019

B: PROJECT SUMMARY/STATUS:

The CU Denver Engineering and Physical Science Building | Renovation project includes the construction of a 60,000 gross square feet (GSF) building for the College of Engineering, Design and Computing (CEDC) and the renovation of 38,368 GSF in North Classroom for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS). The project is comprised of three phases spanning FY 2021-22 to FY 2023-24. The total project cost is $80,911,629 ,including $39,462,420 CCF and $41,449,209 CF. CU Denver is contributing more than half of the total project cost, from sources including university reserves, gifts and donations. The FY 2021-22 request funds phase one of this three-phase project at a cost of $20,584,106 total funds (including $5,146,026 CCF and $15,438,080 CF). FY 2022-23 will be the second phase of this project and require $43,716,992 total funds (including $21,858,496 CCF and $21,858,496 CF). FY 2023-24 will be the third and final phase of this project and require $16,610,531 total funds (including $12,457,898 CCF and $4,152,633 CF).

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C. SUMMARY OF PROJECT FUNDING REQUEST (CC_CR-C form):

Current Year Funding Source Total Project Total Prior Budget Year Year Two Year Three Four Year Five Cost Appropriation Request Request Request Request Request Capital $39,462,420 $0 $5,146,026 $21,858,496 $12,457,898 $0 $0 Construction Funds (CCF) Cash Funds (CF) $41,449,209 $0 $15,438,080 $21,858,496 $4,152,633 $0 $0 Reappropriated $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Funds (RF) Federal Funds (FF) $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Total Funds (TF) $80,911,629 $0 $20,584,106 $43,716,992 $16,610,531 $0 $0

D. PROJECT DESCRIPTION/SCOPE OF WORK/JUSTIFICATION:

Overview:

This project was first requested in FY 2016-17. It includes two distinct components: the construction of a 60,000 GSF new building for CEDC and the renovation of 38,368 GSF of space in North Classroom for CLAS.

The new building will include space for Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science Engineering, Electrical Engineering, General Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. Of the 36,000 ASF being constructed, nearly 20,000 ASF will be for instructional laboratories. An Interdisciplinary Innovation Hub will also be part of the new building. The location for the building is south of the Auraria Science Building adjacent to southbound Speer Boulevard (as shown in Figure 1).

The site was selected for several reasons: the proximity to the science building will encourage cross- disciplinary collaboration; the visibility of the site will provide branding and prime-donor naming opportunities; there is ease of access to the site for deliveries of equipment and materials; and adjacent sites offer future development possibilities for CEDC beyond the new building. The proposed location is also consistent with the urban design goals of the CU Denver 2017 Master Plan, CU Denver’s 2008 Neighborhood Plan, and the Auraria master plans of 2008 and 2012 to build facilities along Speer Boulevard that would urbanize and blend the campus edge into the city’s downtown environment. The location and site organization of the Engineering Building will:

• Reinforce “CU Denver in the City” by expanding the university’s presence along Speer Boulevard. • Increase the visual and physical connectivity between the CU Denver Campus “Neighborhoods” east and west sectors across Speer; and • Promote opportunities for collaboration across colleges and disciplines.

In the space vacated by CEDC in North Classroom, CLAS intends to construct a number of instructional labs that will support some of the fastest growing programs within the college. Meeting and flex space will be created around the instructional labs to encourage small group meetings and group study. In total, the spaces include:

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• Digital Humanities Laboratory - This is new space for research and teaching in the digital humanities. • Communication Media Laboratory - This is a relocation and expansion of the current lab. • Facility for Advanced Spatial Technology (FAST) Laboratory - This is a relocation and expansion of the existing lab, which is dedicated to the geospatial sciences. • Student Group Study Rooms - These new rooms will support breakout sessions from classrooms and instructional labs. When not being used for that purpose, they can be used for group study. • Video conference flex space - This new room or rooms will support meetings conducted in a variety of formats, and can used for instruction as needed. • Interdisciplinary Studies Office Space - This is office space for a program that currently has none. • Biology/Chemistry/Physics shared student computer lab - This is a new computer lab for some of the college’s largest and fastest growing programs.

The most recent facilities audit for the North Classroom building was conducted in 2018. The Facilities Condition Index (FCI) was determined to be 84%. This FCI number is substantially higher than in 2015, when the FCI was determined to be 67%. The increase reflects the significant investment made by CU Denver in the building as part of the $38M, cash funded North Classroom Renovation project that was completed in 2018.

In addition to the North Classroom, space in the following buildings will be freed up as a result of this project: Lawrence Street Center (LSC) (4,401 ASF), Boulder Creek (4,031 ASF), and Administration Building (600 ASF). A study will be undertaken in the future to determine the best use of the space in the Lawrence Street Center, but any renovation in that building will not be part of this project.

The Administration and Boulder Creek buildings are outside the CU Denver neighborhood, and their future use requires discussions with AHEC and the AHEC partner institutions (CCD and MSU-Denver). CU Denver leadership is committed to relinquish this space back to CCD and MSU-Denver upon completion of this project, consistent with the AHEC neighborhood plan agreement. As stated in the AHEC Neighborhood Facility Designations & Related Space Exchanges Memorandum of Agreement:

“General assignment classrooms which reside in the identified existing facilities which become re-designated as institutional neighborhood facilities will, wherever possible, be established first as an allocated room for that constituent Institution. Upon full designation of a facility as a neighborhood building, the general assignment classrooms within that facility will no longer be designated for general use and will become that institutions’ proprietary space. Consequently, the Constituent Institutions commit to utilizing their existing spaces and newly created classroom spaces within their own institution without negatively drawing on the remaining supply of shared spaces due to this re-designation.”

This project is a three-year request. The FY 2021-2022 request ($20,584,106) will design the entire project (new building and renovation) and address any site work related to the new building. The FY 2022-2023 request ($43,716,992) will construct the new building, and the FY 2023-2024 request ($16,610,531) will renovate the space in North Classroom. The expected project delivery method for the Engineering and Physical Sciences Building | Renovation project is Construction Manager/General Contractor (CMGC).

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CEDC Need

CEDC is focused on developing the engineers of the future, by producing professionally oriented graduates who are interested in solving real-world problems. This requires the integration of technical, social and human capabilities through an interdisciplinary approach that emphasizes human-centered design, computing, entrepreneurship and robust industry partnerships. This vision will be brought to life in the new CEDC building. The quality of the engineering-specific space throughout campus has not kept pace with technological and pedagogical standards. Improvements are needed to ensure that CU Denver students have access to a top quality undergraduate and graduate engineering education.

Construction of the new facility will also allow for some consolidation of CEDC, which is currently located in seven buildings across campus including the 5th Street Hub, Administration Building, Boulder Creek, CU Denver Building, Lawrence Street Center, North Classroom and St. Cajetans.

A program study conducted by Anderson Mason Dale (AMD) in 2015 of CEDC found that an additional 47,764 ASF was needed for CEDC beyond the 73,204 ASF occupied by the college at that time, resulting in a total need of 120,968 ASF. This project would meet 75% of the need projected in that study, allow for some consolidation within CEDC, and improve the overall quality of CEDC facilities.

CEDC Growth Trends

In the same AMD study, National trends were reviewed to project ten-year growth for CEDC. Additionally, the growth in CEDC programs was charted for the last ten years. Finally, each engineering department calculated a conservative and a desired ten-year projected growth rate. The average of these data was used to determine the growth percentage for each department used in the program plan, as follows:

• Bioengineering – 6.4% • Civil – 2.4% • Computer Science – 6.4% • Electrical – 3.5% • General Engineering – 3.6% • Mechanical – 6.3%

Bioengineering and Computer Science have the highest projected growth rates, which reflects their expected growth among Colorado industries. Both Bioengineering and Computer Science are relatively new programs at CU Denver, but have unlimited potential in preparing future engineers for the real world because of the interdisciplinary nature of the programs.

The projected growth in engineering program enrollment justifies the additional square footage necessary to support the College’s ten-year space needs. The total combined CEDC enrollment growth over the next ten years is projected to be 59%, or 955 students (based on 2020 CEDC headcount enrollment), which translates to 43,168 ASF of additional space need above the 73,204 ASF the college currently occupies.

In the six years between academic-years 2013-14 and 2019-20, first-time freshman applicants for CEDC programs have increased by over 130% (521 to 1,218). Of the 1,218 students who applied in 2019-20, 709 were academically qualified and admitted. Page 4

CEDC Utilization Analysis

Instructional space utilization for CEDC was evaluated for fall 2018 using the CDHE guidelines for room hours scheduled per week and room occupancy rate. The recommended utilization for instructional classrooms and labs is: Classroom: 30 hours per week, and 67% occupancy - seats filled. Classroom: 20 hours per week, and 80% occupancy - seats filled.

In the fall semester of 2018, CEDC scheduled its classrooms an average of 36 hours per week with a 67% occupancy, which exceeds the CDHE guidelines. The college’s scheduling of instructional labs was 18 hours per week with a 72% occupancy. The additional hours per week of classroom scheduling above the CDHE standard are needed to accommodate enrollment, but place undue wear on these rooms and force students to take courses at days and times that are not optimal. New classroom space would alleviate this pressure.

Unfortunately, many of the labs also function as equipment and materials storage areas due to a lack of storerooms. This increases the space deficit and hurts overall utilization rates.

CLAS Growth Trends

In the 2017 CU Denver Master Plan, the university outlined a pathway to grow overall enrollment from 19,046 to 25,000 by 2025. One of the three academic schools and colleges that was expected to grow at a higher rate during that period is the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. (Another of the three colleges was the College of Engineering, Design and Computing). The University also established a goal to grow funded research, from $25M in 2016 to $30M in 2025. To establish growth goals in the 2017 CU Denver Facilities Master Plan for CLAS, four sources were used: growth trends within the college from 2008-2016, national growth trends for CLAS areas of study, state growth trends for CLAS areas of study, and feedback from the leadership of the college and the university. A review of these trends and the leadership feedback yielded an expected enrollment growth rate to 2025 of 8%. This is supported by recent growth trends in new first- year enrollees in the college. From 2010 to 2018, the number of new first-year enrollees grew from 720 to 1,167, a rate of 62%. In the master plan analysis of current space deficits, CLAS has the largest of any academic school or college at 32,354 ASF. If enrollment targets are met, that need will grow to 78,077 ASF in 2025. The backfill space in North Classroom will alleviate 21,000 ASF of this need.

Program Framework

The project aligns with the CU Denver 2017 Facilities Master Plan by addressing instructional and student/faculty research space needs for laboratories and classrooms while building an active interdisciplinary and experiential learning environment focused on student success. The program for the new engineering building emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration by combining like uses of the departments. For example, an Interdisciplinary Innovation Hub has been proposed to bring together programmatic elements that are similar in each department but are now located at multiple sites throughout the campus. This Innovation Space would include a machine shop, maker spaces, and ideation and senior design spaces that can be utilized by all departments.

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The proposed Engineering Building would accommodate the majority of CEDC academic and student/faculty research instructional spaces, as well as specialized student-focused hubs, study and meeting spaces, student service/support functions, and the Office of the Dean. The programmatic elements identified for the new facility include the following: Bioengineering, Civil Engineering (offices for faculty and administration only), Computer Science Engineering, Electrical Engineering, General Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Office of the Dean, Foundation of Engineering Sciences Technology (FEST), Interdisciplinary Innovation Hubs, Ideation and Maker Spaces, Instructional Classrooms and Laboratories, Sciences Gallery, Student, Faculty and Administration Support, and Building IT/Facilities Support Services.

An unexpected outcome of the planning process was the recommendation that all current and proposed Civil Engineering instructional spaces remain in the department’s current NC location, but undergo the necessary renovations and space expansions to meet its projected ten-year growth. The deciding factors not to relocate the program are the existing 12-foot thick “threaded strong floor” in the high-bay Geotechnical & Structural Test Laboratory and the nearby access to a loading dock and outdoor “back of house” material storage area. The high-bay lab would be excessively expensive to replicate in a new building, and the new building’s site will not accommodate a loading dock or outside storage area.

The project meets the following six out of seven CU Denver Strategic Plan 2008-2020 Priorities: to secure resources to achieve the university vision while being responsible stewards of those resources; to deliver an outstanding education experience; to continue to conduct outstanding research and creative work for the public good; to continue to enhance diversity and foster a culture of inclusion; to develop and grow beneficial partnerships locally and beyond; and to maximize the opportunities of a consolidated university.

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Figure 1: Engineering and Physical Sciences Building Project Work Locations

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Figure 2: New Engineering Building Conceptual Floor Plan Source: 2019 Approved Program Plan, page C15

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Figure 3: Vacated Space from CEDC programs around AHEC Source: 2019 Approved Program Plan, page A4

History of Appropriated Projects funded with controlled maintenance, capital renewal, capital construction, emergency CM repairs, cash, or operational funds completed within the last fifteen (15) years or ongoing projects that can be associated with either this CC/CR building or infrastructure request.

Completion date or Project No. Project Title Project Cost $ status North Classroom Renovation- Cash $38,146,970 April 2019

E. PROGRAM INFORMATION:

This project will provide positive benefits to the entire Auraria Campus. While the new building and renovation will certainly benefit the students, faculty and staff of two specific academic colleges (CEDC and CLAS), it’s important to note that these two colleges enroll 52% of all students at CU Denver (Fall 2019 Student Enrollments). In addition, this 52% reflects only degree-seeking students. CLAS has a dual- educational mission; it educates students seeking a degree in a CLAS major, but also provides core foundational curriculum required by other academic schools and colleges. As such, the benefits of this project stretch beyond CEDC and CLAS to the other CU Denver academic schools and colleges, and thus to the entire student body. Page 9

This project will provide benefits to the other Auraria institutions as well. In 2007, the Auraria Campus introduced the concept of campus neighborhoods for each of the Auraria institutions: University of Colorado Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU-Denver), and Community College of Denver (CCD). Since that time, the three institutions have made every effort to realign space on the campus so that the institutions occupy all of the space in the buildings that fall within their campus neighborhoods. The space that CU Denver CEDC currently occupies in Boulder Creek (CCD Neighborhood, 4,031 ASF) and the Administration Building (MSU-Denver Neighborhood, 600 ASF) will be re-assigned to the home institution if this project is funded. This will provide opportunities for growth for those institutions and, in the case of CCD, allow it to move forward with its capital request to make improvements to the Boulder Creek Building.

For both CEDC and CLAS, this project addresses areas of immediate need, including a shortfall in both the quantity of certain space types, and the quality that is necessary to provide best value to CU Denver students and prepare them to meet the demands of industry.

For CEDC, the immediate critical needs are for additional instructional labs (and an improvement in the quality of the instructional labs that already exist) and for additional research laboratory space. All but a very few of CEDC’s instructional labs are located in the North Classroom, a 1987 building with column spacing and floor-to-floor heights that make it very challenging to provide the layout and services needed for modern engineering labs.

F. CONSEQUENCES IF NOT FUNDED:

If the project is not funded, science and engineering instruction at CU Denver will not keep pace with peer institutions or employers. It will limit the ability of CEDC and CLAS to attract and retain the best and brightest students and faculty, and make it challenging to maintain desirable class sizes and provide enough stations for student instruction in the instructional labs. Likewise, research productivity and the potential for future enrollment growth in engineering programs will be severely limited. Ultimately, CU Denver will fall short of meeting workforce demands.

G. LIFE CYCLE COST (LCC)/COST-BENEFIT COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS:

Current space demands and projected enrollment growth cannot be accommodated within existing space on the CU Denver campus. Demand for additional instructional laboratories, research laboratories and support spaces can only be met through new construction or through the lease of comparable space off- campus. Beyond further scattering an already fragmented college and decreasing operational efficiency, the life cycle costs of leased space off-campus would prove to be more costly. When modeled over a 25-year span, the total life cycle costs of leased space are expected to be at least 7% higher (nearly $6M) than construction of a new facility. Likewise, it is unrealistic to expect to find leasable space within close proximity of campus with the specialized spaces needed to function as engineering research and instructional laboratories that could serve as an alternative to new construction.

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H. ASSUMPTIONS FOR CALCULATIONS:

The attached CC_CR-C form shows the assumptions and estimated cost breakdown for this project: • Estimated expenditures for land purchases: N/A. Property is currently owned by AHEC. • Estimated expenditures for professional services: $10,848,210. • Estimated expenditures for construction: $54,633,870. • A list of equipment and furnishings, including estimated prices: $9,357,757. • Calculations for art in public places, as necessary: $267,706. • Inflation assumptions by year and component: project cost has been inflated 5.0% from prior year request. • Construction estimates are produced by the Facilities Projects Department using data on projects recently completed by the university, and inflated to the anticipated year of construction. Industry data are used to cross-check the estimates produced by Facilities Projects.

I. SUSTAINABILITY:

The targeted certification for this new building is LEED GOLD. At this time, it is uncertain as to what certification may be available for the North Classroom renovations. During the course of design, a sustainability plan will be developed taking into account opportunities for on-site energy conservation and renewable energy generation such as photovoltaics.

J. GOVERNOR’S INITIATIVE

The project will conform to Colorado’s state high performance building certification program and the Governor’s Executive Order (EO D 2019 06) in the following ways:

• The project will be designed and built to LEED Gold standards. • CU Denver and the Auraria Campus at large are interested in pursuing onsite energy production. Auraria just installed one of the largest solar arrays in Denver on the roof of the Auraria Library. However, there was not sufficient time between the announcement of EO D 2019 06 and the deadline for submission of these capital request documents to conduct a detailed study of onsite energy production potential through project funding or via an Energy Performance Contract (EPC) agreement. CU Denver will conduct a thorough analysis of the feasibility of onsite energy production during the initial design phases of the project. • LED lighting will be installed in all of the project areas, including new construction and renovation. • CU Denver did investigate using electric boilers versus natural gas boilers in another project submitted as part of the 21-22 Capital Request (CU Denver Building Infrastructure Renewal). That analysis found that over the 30 year functional lifespan of the boiler equipment, the electric alternative would result in significantly higher operating costs and higher emissions. CU Denver does not plan to pursue electric boilers on this project for those reasons. • The project will utilize a third-party commissioning agent to help develop and track compliance with the high performance building certification program.

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• CU Denver will not have any opportunity to add EV parking stations or reduce greenhouse emission of the institutions vehicle fleet as part of this project. No fleet vehicles will be purchased as part of the project, and no on-site parking will be created or re-worked as part of the project.

K. OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT: The new building is expected to result in additional operating costs of $21.00 per assignable square foot per year. At 37,200 assignable square feet, this would be $781,200 per year.

L. PROJECT SCHEDULE: Identify project schedule by funding phases. Add or delete boxes as required for each phase. See instructions for further detail.

Phases 1 through 3 Start Date Completion Date Pre-Design 7/2021 9/2021 Design 9/2021 7/2022 Construction 8/2022 7/2024 - Includes New & Reno FF&E /Other 7/2024 8/2024 Occupancy 9/2024 9/2024 - Includes New & Reno

M. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Three-year roll forward spending authority is required:  Yes X No Link to the program plan or attach the document: Attached Request 6-month encumbrance waiver:  Yes X No Total estimated square footage (new): ___37,200__ ASF ___60,000__ GSF Total estimate square footage (renovated): __ 21,000__ ASF ___38,368__ GSF

Is this a continuation of a project appropriated in a prior year:  Yes X No State Controller Project Number (if continuation): OUT YEAR REQUESTS (PHASED PROJECTS): (DELETE IF NOT APPLICABLE) FY 2022-22 FY 2023-24 FY 2XXX-XX Total

Request Request Request Request Total Funds $43,716,992 $16,610,531 $60,327,523 General Fund $21,858,496 $12,457,898 $34,316,394 $26,011,129 Cash Funds $21,858,496 $4,152,633

Federal Funds

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