Utah State University: Moab Academic Building

Project Overview

Project Name	Moab Academic Building
Certification Type	Zero Energy 1.0
Gross Building Area	22,653 square feet
Location	Moab, Utah
Typology	New Building
Start of Occupancy	05/16/2022
Building Type	Educational
Number of Occupants	30

Photo: KIMBERLY MANZANO

Situated at the base of the Moab Rim, the new Utah State University Moab Academic Building aspires to set a new standard of sustainable development on the Colorado Plateau by implementing passive design strategies, low-energy consumption, and high-performance systems. Designed to embrace the desert landscape and touch lightly upon the land, this educational facility is home to classrooms, labs, career and technical education (CTE) shops, administration/ faculty offices, student collaboration spaces, 4-H programs for children and adults, and local community functions. A large floating roof creates a series of outdoor rooms that celebrate place and a sense of campus within one building.

Project Team

Architect of Record	MHTN Architects
Green Building Consultant	Lake \| Flato Architects
General Contractor	Hogan & Associates Construction
Mechanical Engineer	Colvin Associates
Electrical Engineer	Spectrum Engineering
Plumbing Engineer	Colvin Associates
Civil Engineer	Civil Solutions Group
Envelope Consultant	UNVC
Structural Engineer	Reaveley Engineers & Associates
Interior Designer	MHTN Architects
Landscape Consultant	MHTN Architects
Geothermal Designer	Sound Geothermal Group
Energy Modeler	ETC Group

Early Design Process

From the project’s inception, the Utah State University Moab Academic Building aspired to set an example of sustainable development in the region. It was critical to assemble a team that not only understood the values of the University but was also able to deliver on holistic performance with a constrained budget on a sensitive and challenging site. Salt Lake City-based MHTN Architects, with deep ties to USU over its 100-year life, partnered with sustainable visionaries, Lake | Flato, sustainably minded engineers at Colvin Engineering and Spectrum Engineers, and legacy Utah contractors, Hogan Construction, and began brainstorming possibilities.

The design team collaborated with an envelope consultant, soils and permaculture specialists, along with the CM/GC to conceptualize potential scenarios along with real-time cost impacts starting as early as interview-preparation through predesign and programming. USU requires all new buildings to be certified LEED Silver at a minimum, but it became clear early on that the aspirational goals for the project were more in alignment with Living Building Challenge.

Less than nine inches of water per year meant that the net zero water requirement of an LBC building would prove to be challenging to achieve. The architectural team initially recommended LBC Petal Certification in Energy, Equity, and Beauty. Various combinations of framework certifications were studied in terms of costs, process, and best fit. Ultimately, the team recognized that the goals of the project were best aligned with a path that capitalized on the project’s focus on energy performance and renewable energy production, which included LEED and ILFI Zero Energy certifications.

Once this decision was made, the design team and owner rallied around the framework requirements. The thresholds and requirements of certification were communicated to the team and consultants, and progress was reviewed at the beginning of all meetings. Because this decision was made relatively early-on in the design process, it aligned the team and brought clarity and specificity to goals of the project.

Photo: KIMBERLY MaNZANO

Construction

Although the goals of the project were clearly articulated and the team was in alignment, there was a point during the Project, when design was complete and the construction documents were being produced, that the client, Utah State University, had decided to pursue a grant for the solar array. The solar array, a key component that both the LEED and ILFI Zero Energy certifications hinged on, was taken out of the scope of the Project and became a separate project.

To mitigate any misunderstandings of the purpose of the array, the design team provided bridging documents that communicated the design intent, the minimum energy production requirements and emphasized the critical performance indicators. It was decided to require the solar array to produce 10% over the predicted power consumption of the building, slightly over the minimum 5% threshold to ensure ILFI ZE requirements would be met. To monitor progress and stay aware of issues, certification frameworks were discussed at the beginning of all the owner-architect-contractor meetings. A live document was maintained and updated that tallied all LEED and ILFI ZE items and identified any barriers or issues as they came up. The accuracy of the predicted use and occupancy of the Project was routinely tested and discussed between the design team and owner as it was critical to have a clear picture of the actual energy consumption of the building.

Ultimately, the integrative approach and consensus built across the stakeholder group and design team developed the shared vision and trust needed to execute and accomplish the goals of the project. The contractor involvement during the design process was critical and ensured that there was an understanding that the sustainability and performance of the project were directly tied to the success of the project. Continuous communication about and reiteration of the goals and paths to meeting them ensured the requirements were met.

Lessons Learned

There are several lessons the design team learned over the course of the Project that would have made the process of achieving certification more streamlined including: avoiding an undeveloped site, the timing of certification documentation, and the creation of a team agreement.

During the Project outset, the USU Moab Academic Building was considered the first building on a new campus. The large site, somewhat disconnected from the city of Moab, was selected for its scenic views and its ability to accommodate an expanding campus in the future. The site did not, however, have developed utilities including water and electricity, the costs of which were born on the Project. If the project were located in a previously developed site, it would have had more access to utility connections, transit, and the greater community, not to mention, make more certification framework credits accessible.

A simple practice that any team embarking on a certification process would be to begin documentation as early as possible, even concurrently with construction documents. The fresher the project is in the minds of the team, the more efficiently documentation can be completed. As time passes and the design team, consultants, and owner move onto other projects, the more challenging it becomes to engage team members and articulate the Project’s story.

Understanding all documentation requirements early on, scheduling the documentation effort concurrently or directly after construction documents and communicating that intent to the team is critical.
One simple document that would have been extremely beneficial to this project because of its aspirational sustainability goals, is a Team Agreement. This would have served as a place to articulate in clear, concise terms the goals of the project available to anyone that is brought onto the project during later phases. Shared with the contractor and all relevant subs, this Team Agreement would be a way to orient those unfamiliar with the Project to the “what” and the “why”. We plan to implement this practice on all projects moving forward.

The amenity-rich design includes a fitness center, indoor/outdoor community lounge and kitchen with an electric grill and water vapor fireplace, private meeting rooms, flexible co-working areas, and a fully stocked gear shed with equipment for kayaking, biking, and dog washing. The space also houses the leasing office, making it the first point of contact for prospective residents and guests. Its comfort, utility, and inviting design has made it far more popular than originally anticipated.

As a result, occupant usage has exceeded expectations, both in duration and intensity. While this high level of engagement is a clear success from a design and community-building perspective, it has placed greater demands on the building’s energy systems, particularly those related to HVAC and plug loads.

The project team has responded with a combination of occupant education, system monitoring, and operational adjustments. Staff have implemented behavioral guidance, including asking users to avoid adjusting thermostats, keeping doors closed, and limiting use of high-consumption features like vestibule heaters and televisions when not in use. Temperature setpoints have been refined and electricity monitoring devices are being installed to track and verify real-time energy use.

In parallel, mechanical systems are actively monitored and tested by maintenance personnel to ensure they are performing as designed and recommissioning will be explored as needed to fine-tune the systems. The rooftop solar array is on a regular maintenance schedule, including removal of pine needles, snow, and dust to maintain optimal energy production.

The increased energy demand prompted the operations team to take a closer look at building performance, ultimately leading to a more proactive and detailed approach to routine operations. Ongoing diligence through utility tracking, preventive maintenance, and real-time troubleshooting helps ensure the project not only meets its performance goals but also supports long-term building health and resilience. This creates a win-win for both sustainability and operations.

The experience at Ninebark underscores that the path to Net Zero is rarely static. Real-world usage reveals the need for flexibility and responsiveness. These lessons are invaluable for future projects seeking to translate Zero Energy principles into lasting performance impacts.