Located in the heart of the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs (UCCS) campus, the new William J. Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center is a state-of-the-art facility that will host a range of specialties from exercise science and physical therapy to physiology and conditioning, promoting synergies between sports-medicine-based clinical treatments and academics. All spaces within the building align with one of three primary pillars:

• Sports Performance Services: including performance testing and assessment, athletic training, group fitness, altitude and environmental chambers, and more.
• Medical Services: operated by Centura Health, including clinical services related to sports injury assessment, diagnosis (MRI, Ultrasound, X-Ray), and treatment.
• Academics and Research Services: for both undergraduate and graduate students, with areas of study including exercise science, athletic training, human physiology & nutrition, and health care science.

The four-story steel-framed, brick- and metal-clad Hybl Center is designed to house classrooms, an auditorium, offices and conference rooms, wet/dry research labs, a cafe, as well as three unique centers of distinction: the center for tactical and occupational performance, dedicated to treating and training first responders, including firefighters; the center for athletes and active individuals with physical disabilities, including para-athletes and wounded military veterans; and the center for human health and performance in extreme environments, preparing individuals for extreme swings in temperature and altitude-related oxygen levels.

IMEG engineers were contracted to provide mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection engineering services on the Hybl Center, as well as architectural lighting and energy modeling services. To meet environmental needs, the team specified a variable air volume unit that incorporates heated and chilled water, with VAV boxes calibrated to different set points, depending on space requirements. Additionally, engineers designed a second air-handling system to expel air from a trio of adjacent USSC labs on the third level, one lab for cadavers and two for anatomy, thereby ensuring fumes don’t gravitate to other parts of the building.

Other sustainable products and initiatives to help meet the building’s pursuit of LEED Gold certification include LED lighting, Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood, low-VOC products, use of local materials and diversion of waste from landfills.