Indiana Tech Zollner Engineering Center

Built in 1957, the Zollner Engineering Center on the Indiana Tech campus in Fort Wayne, Indiana, has been transformed to house new and existing programs in engineering, computer sciences, cybersecurity, life sciences, and technology, and features the latest in technology and amenities. As a result of this $21.5 million project, completed in 2023, the original building was fully renovated and a 30,000+ sq ft, three-story expansion nearly doubled its size. 

 

As the MEP engineers for the project, we were challenged with needing to increase existing mechanical and electrical plant and service sizes to accommodate the new load required by the expanded building. Complicating this was that the design of the expansion left limited room for MEP routing and equipment. As the scope also called for a complete renovation of the existing building, minimal space clearances in masonry construction also posed issues for installing updated systems. Additionally, the work had to be done while maintaining the operations of an active building. 

 

To aid with the issue of space constraints, we utilized Building Information Modeling (BIM) to closely coordinate requirements for MEP, structural, and architectural elements to ensure that the functionality, aesthetics, and infrastructure of the addition would be optimized. To minimize disruptions to the building’s activities, we worked closely with Indiana Tech and the CM team to develop a comprehensive phasing plan to relocate academic functions while renovating sections of the building. This was also crucial in determining the best times to perform necessary upgrades to the mechanical and electrical plant and service sizes.