Texas A&M University Engineering Education Complex

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Opened in 1972, the renovation and expansion of the Zachry Engineering Center continues on the campus of Texas A&M University, completely transforming the existing 5-story, 330,000 square foot (sq. ft.) building with an addition of 200,000 sq. ft. of new space. The engineering college currently serves more than 11,000 undergraduate and 3,000 graduate students, which already makes it one of the largest engineering schools in the country, but once the renovations are complete, the facility will be unlike any other structure of its kind in the nation. Upon completion, the complex will be become the Engineering Education Complex (EEC) and will be used exclusively for undergraduate engineering education. Departing from traditional classrooms and lecture halls, the 530,000 sq. ft. complex will create a unique learning environment including design and fabrication shared-use laboratories and collaborative space that supports the University’s ambitious plan to increase engineering enrollment from its current level to 25,000 students by 2025.

Z6 Commissioning provided building envelope performance testing, including air chamber pressurization and smoker tracer testing per ASTM E1186 on an on-site mock-up. This test calls for an airtight chamber to be installed to the interior or exterior of an air barrier system, using a motorized fan to create a pressure differential across the specimen. By introducing smoke to the higher pressure side of the specimen, air leakage can be determined and/or located if and when smoke appears on the lesser pressure side of the specimen.

Project Information

Owner: Texas A&M University System

Architect / Client: Treanor Architects

ContractorVaughn Construction

Associate Architect:Arlington, Texas

Location:College Station, Texas

Services:

Commissioning of the building envelope, including:
Roof membrane uplift resistance testing per ASTM E907
Air infiltration testing per ASTM E783
Static pressure water infiltration testing per ASTM E1105
Destructive hand pull tab testing per ASTM C1401
Air chamber pressurization and smoker tracer testing per ASTM E1186 4.2.6

Markets: Higher Education

Project Scale: 530,000 SF

Project Status:Spring 2018

Type of Construction:Renovation & Expansion

Bill is the managing and founding partner of W.H. Coltzer International (WHCI), Zero/Six Consulting, LLC (an architecture and exterior building envelope consulting firm), Z6 Commissioning, LLC (a performance testing firm), and Coltzer Company, LLC (construction company). As the son of a general contractor, Bill grew up participating in the family construction business and after graduating from Texas A&M in 1984, became a licensed Architect in 1993. Since the creation of Zero/Six Consulting, LLC in 2003, Bill has participated in the remediation, design, and testing of numerous facilities across the Nation ranging in values of a few million dollars to over a few hundred million. The combination of construction knowledge, architectural training, and real-world experience gives Bill a unique perspective in the dispute resolution process.

Jeff is the Director of Engineering of Zero/Six Consulting, LLC (an architecture and exterior building envelope consulting firm). After graduating from The University of Texas with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Jeff has used his expertise in the field with roofing, waterproofing, and fenestration inspections, as well as in the office with computer-aided drafting, modeling, and engineering analysis. He has been deeply involved in the testing aspects of building envelope commissioning serving as the Quality Control Manager to ensure the Z6 ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited laboratory and team are strictly following international test standards to accurately, objectively, and impartially report on the integrity of building materials and products to certify that the installed systems interface as intended. Jeff has been Appointed Qualified Inspector by The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI).