We are pleased to announce the completion of the Floyd and Jeri Meldrum Civil Engineering Building as the new home of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Utah. The renovation was finished on August 24, 2010 and the dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on October 28, 2010.
The 14,500-square-foot addition to the former Energy and Minerals Research Building brings together civil, environmental, and nuclear engineering faculty into adjacent space with a newly designed transportation operations center and environmental engineering labs.
The addition was designed for earthquake-safety and energy-efficiency to save tens of thousands of dollars annually in heating and cooling. The student-designed construction showcases sustainable engineering systems, materials and structural elements that saved more than 250 tons of greenhouse gases over conventional construction. The auditorium provides facilities for distance learning and communication training. A leadership center and a mentoring center provide a home for student organizations and tutoring opportunities. The Dunn Commons features an informal gathering space for students and professionals.
The renovations are supported by a generous $3.3 million gift from Floyd and Jeri Meldrum of Las Vegas, Nevada, and funded entirely through non-state funds. Floyd received a B.S. in civil engineering from the U in 1962. He and Jeri are the former owners of Southern Nevada Paving, an aggregate, asphalt and contracting business in Las Vegas, which they operated for 41 years prior to its acquisition in 2004 by Aggregate Industries PLC. Meldrum credited the education he received at the University. “My career has its foundation in the Department and the lessons and experiences in these early days allowed me to build a general engineering construction business that helped many of my employees support families and build careers of their own.”
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