Higher Education | Laboratory-Science-Technology

USTAR Bioinnovation Life Sciences Research Center

Utah State University | Logan, Utah

Envision was the electrical engineering consultant for this $54 million, 118,000 SF research center that is the most advanced bio-medical and life sciences laboratory in the state. A crown jewel in Utah’s state-funded “Science Technology and Research” economic development initiative, or USTAR, this building facilitates research for cures for human and animal diseases and is designed to attract to top medical researchers and medical research corporations to help grow Utah’s economy.

The state-of-the-art building includes a large vivarium, experiment rooms, surgical suites, and wash facilities; also wet labs, a commercial kitchen, interview rooms, and office and meeting space.

A significant component of the electrical design included a new primary 12,470-volt medium power distribution system for the new facility in close collaboration with Rocky Mountain Power.

Envision delivered value throughout the fast-track, design-build process by engineering flexibility into the design drawings to allow the contractor changes and adjustments that were inevitable. For example, as construction progressed, equipment changes required different breaker sizes. Envision specified adjustable trip breakers to efficiently facilitate these changes.

Additional innovative solutions were provided for several electrical components, including the primary metering for the building.