Early Bird

Work continues on Steam to Natural Gas Project

Improvements across multiple campus buildings will result in operational impacts throughout the summer.

By Lindsey Coulter

June 2, 2020

The Auraria Campus’ Steam to Natural Gas Project continues on schedule and should be completed by the end of September.

Xcel Energy has finished the installation of gas lines and is finishing hardscape repairs. A comprehensive value-engineering effort by the design team and contractor GH Phipps provided room in the budget for the restoration of some original aspects of the project. The project schedule has been updated accordingly, and some original dates will be adjusted to allow for the delivery of a boiler and water heater.

Construction impacts

Tivoli Commons

Crews will work to develop a mitigation plan for erosion beneath the building.

Boulder Creek

Current:

• Installation of hangers and supports for new piping.
• Finishing work on interior walls in boiler room.
• Electrical-conduit work in boiler room.
• Demolition work in mechanical room; noise anticipated.

Upcoming:

• Demolition of steam equipment.
• Work on gas line.
• May 18-July 9: Hot water will be unavailable.
• May 18-July 22: Heat will be unavailable.
• Sept. 20: Work on the building will be complete.

Plaza Building

Current:

• Construction on penthouse roof.
• Sheathing installation over exterior stud work on penthouse mechanical room.
• Note: Plaza Health Center has electric water heaters and will not experience a hot-water outage.

Upcoming:

• Continued construction on penthouse roof.
• Fireproofing structural steel.
• Removal of existing roof underneath the penthouse.
• May 26-July 22: Hot water will be unavailable. Note: Plaza Health Center has electric water heaters and will not experience a hot-water outage.
• May 26-Aug. 6: Heat will be unavailable.
• Sept. 18: Work on the building will be complete.

Further impacts:

• Contractor GH Phipps will work with a restoration consultant to monitor weather forecasts. The existing roof will not be removed until forecasts predict dry weather, as the building will be vulnerable during this phase of construction.
• Fireproofing of beams.
• Exterior framing of new boiler room and beams.
• May 7-today: gas outage.

PE

Current:

• Fireproofing of beams.
• Exterior framing of new boiler room and beams.
• May 7-today: gas outage.

Upcoming:

• Continued work on the boiler room/penthouse.
• Installation of decking and pouring of new boiler-room floor concrete.
• May 18-Aug. 5: Heat will be unavailable.
• Sept. 17: Work on the building will be complete.

Impacts:

• The wall between the Dance and Exercise rooms sustained some water damage from a roof leak that occurred May 15. GH Phipps is bringing in a consultant to identify mitigation measures and was onsite to monitor the May 24 rain event. GH Phipps will monitor weather forecasts, and the existing roof will not be removed until there is a dry forecast.
• Mechanical, electrical and plumbing rough-ins.
• Installation of flues in lobby and at hallway leading to the exterior.
• Gas-line and pipe installation in lobby and through Arts 173.
• Relocation of fire-sprinkler lines in north lobby area.
• Gas temporarily unavailable to kiln room.

Arts Building

Current:

• Mechanical, electrical and plumbing rough-ins.
• Installation of flues in lobby and at hallway leading to the exterior.
• Gas-line and pipe installation in lobby and through Arts 173.
• Relocation of fire-sprinkler lines in north lobby area.
• Gas temporarily unavailable to kiln room.

Upcoming:

• May 18-July 30: Heat will be unavailable.
• May 18-Aug. 19: Hot water will be unavailable.
• Sept. 11: Work on the building will be complete.

Central Classroom

Current:

• Installation of exterior gas lines on the roof.
• Installation of new electrical conduit in boiler room.
• Installation of vertical gas lines on the outside of the building adjacent to St. Elizabeth Alley from Wednesday through Saturday.

Upcoming:

• May 18-July 31: Heat will be unavailable.
• May 18-July 28: Hot water will be unavailable.
• Sept. 14: Work on the building will be complete.

Impacts: 

• During the installation of the vertical gas lines in the alley between St. Elizabeth and the Central Building, the church’s food distribution will need to be relocated for safety.
• Demo and installation of concrete equipment pads in Mechanical Room.
• Installation of gas line from Mechanical Room to roof.

West Classroom

Current:

• Demo and installation of concrete equipment pads in Mechanical Room.
• Installation of gas line from Mechanical Room to roof.

Upcoming:

• WC 243 closet conversion into flue chase.
• Pipe chase/shaft to be installed from first floor to roof beginning in early June.
• May 26-Aug 7: Heat will be unavailable.
• May 26-Aug. 19: Hot water will be unavailable.
• Sept. 21: Work on the building will be complete.

Cherry Creek

Current:

• Construction of new partitions in Mechanical Room.
• Demolition and installation of concrete equipment pads in Mechanical Room.

Upcoming:

• Installation of gas line through the east entry lobby beginning Monday.
• Additional asbestos abatement in the boiler room.
• May 19-Aug. 17: Heat will be unavailable.
• May 19-Aug. 4: Hot water will be unavailable.
• Sept. 29: Work on the building will be complete.

Impacts:

• Gas piping will run from the east side of the building into the center of the building and up from the first floor to the third floor. As a result, there will be some work in the main lobby area on the east side of the building.

Science

Current:

• Fireproofing of structural steel in the new boiler room below 1067.
• Extensive work to 1067 Auditorium core ceiling and Projection Booth floor for flue penetrations to reinforce ceiling.
• Installation of piping in west wing north hallway corridor.
• Sprinkler-head relocation in west wing north hallway.

Upcoming:

• Steam demo starting Thursday (affects only Old Science Wing).
• Roof penetrations and curb installations above 1067 Projection Booth.
• Exterior trenching between wings of building starting Monday; will affect ingress/egress.

• Wednesday-Aug. 6: Heat will be unavailable.
• May 26-Aug. 10: Hot water will be unavailable.
• Sept. 29: Work on the building will be complete.

Impacts:

• Air-handling unit providing tempered air to 1067 Lecture Hall has been shut down.
• North corridor of the Old Science Building will be under construction to allow for pipe installation.
• Two gender-neutral restrooms on first floor will be offline until Aug. 7.
• Hot-water-piping work will close the main entrance on the north side of the building for four weeks in June.