Early Bird

More accolades for AES Building

AIA Colorado recognizes the design’s emphasis on equity and sustainability.

By Lindsey Coulter

August 26, 2020

Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Aerospace and Engineering Sciences Building continues to be recognized for its highly efficient, state-of-the-art design. Three years after its completion, the building and architect Anderson Mason Dale were recognized with two awards from the Colorado chapter of the American Institute of Architects. 

During AIA Colorado’s 2020 Design and Honor Awards on Aug. 17, the AES Building won the Award of Distinction in the Sustainability Category as well as Honorable Mention in the Sustainability Category. The category celebrates projects that strive for excellence in design and sustainability and that create a healthier and more beautiful world. The jury applauded the building’s all-around high performance and climate-responsive design and appreciated how well it integrates equity and access into environmental sustainability, noting that equity is an often-neglected aspect of sustainable design.

Completed in 2017, the AES Building houses the Advanced Manufacturing Sciences Institute; Industrial Design; Engineering and Engineering Technology; and the Computer Sciences programs as well as offices and operations for several related private businesses and industry partners. The dynamic learning space provides advanced technology opportunities and experiential laboratories to prepare skilled, workforce-ready graduates.

The building previously won the 2018 Laboratory of the Year Special Mention from R&D Magazine and Laboratory Design and the 2018 Downtown Denver Award from the Downtown Denver Partnership. It was awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold status in 2019 based on features such as an evaporative-cooling system, fritted glass and LED light fixtures as well as its efficient use of water and energy.