Civil Engineering
The campus civil engineering team, housed in the Department of Facilities Management, is tasked with helping make CU-Boulder’s built environment a functional and safe place to study and work. Our range of projects covers civil utilities, hardscapes, environmental permitting, flood management, water conservation, structural assessments, maintenance of design and construction standards, and more.
The university maintains most of the civil utilities on the Main Campus, East Campus, Research Park, and Williams Village, including storm sewers, foundation drains, sanitary sewers, and water lines. The campus civil engineering team is responsible for coordinating maintenance activities, updating the Civil Utility Master Plan, prioritizing projects, and ensuring that future projects conform to the goals and direction of the master plan.
Below is a list of the upcoming utility projects for 2013:
- Replacing and upsizing the water line on the southeast side of Hale Science, between Hale and Old Main
- Replacing the sanitary sewer near the Marine Street Science Center on East Campus
- Slip-lining a 6-inch sanitary line on the north side of Hale Science along Pleasant Street
Download 4-year civil utility upcoming project map
Download 2004 Civil Utility Master Plan
Download 2012 Update to the 2004 Civil Utility Master Plan
If you have any comments/suggestions for utility improvements to the campus, please contact us at fmcivil@colorado.edu.
The civil engineering team works with Facilities Management Outdoor Services to audit campus pavements. Every year, a team of students performs a qualitative assessment of pavements that is then compiled into a prioritized list of projects for the upcoming year.
To report trip hazards and/or deteriorated conditions, please contact us at fmcivil@colorado.edu.
A few examples of upcoming improvements to campus include:
- Asphalt improvements on the western side of Kittredge Loop Drive
- Duane stairs improvements into northern entrance near the loading dock
- Pleasant Street curb and gutter repairs
Download 2011 Concrete Pavement Audit
Download 2011 Asphalt Pavement Audit
Hardscape improvements to Libby Drive.
Flood Management/Water Intrusion
There are many areas of campus that are subject to water intrusion/ponding from storm events. These areas are often the result of nearby drainage and grading conditions. The civil engineering team records these areas and prioritizes corrections to minimize and eliminate their occurrence in the future.
If you would like to report a water intrusion issue, please contact us at fmcivil@colorado.edu.
Below is a list of the upcoming and recently completed water intrusion projects for 2013:
- Waterproofing the Duane Physics basement classrooms
- East entrance inlet modification at Ramaley Biology
- Sewell south entrance improvements (sandwich shop entrance)
- Pleasant Street storm sewer modifications
Download Localized Flooding Audit for the Main Campus
Boulder Creek Floodplain Mapping Update
A flood barrier in place at the Administrative and Research Center on East Campus.
The civil engineering team actively participates in the university’s Sustainability Action Team (SAT) and received a Sustainability Award in 2012 for its efforts on campus. To date, we have saved campus over 15 million gallons of potable water. We are involved in conservation projects for restrooms, laboratories and irrigation.
Please contact us at fmcivil@colorado.edu with comments and suggestions for water conservation projects that can help reduce campus’s water demand.
Upcoming water conservation projects include:
- Stadium restroom urinal conversions
- Mountain Research Station water conservation in bathrooms, labs, and kitchen
- Williams Village North graywater recirculation system
- Potable water distribution mains leak study
Williams Village Raw Water Irrigation Project
The civil engineering team is available to assist campus occupants with building structural questions. We can evaluate load conditions to ensure that floors are able to support new equipment weight and review structural deficiencies (such as cracks in buildings) on campus that are in possible need of repair.
If you would like to report a condition that may need assessment and/or repair, please contact us at fmcivil@colorado.edu.
Maintenance of design and construction standards
The civil engineering team maintains the utility, structural, hardscapes, roofing, and waterproofing related sections of the UCB Design and Construction Standards. These standards are updated every year. We are always interested in feedback from outside consultants for helping improve standards.
If you have any comments or suggestions for the campus standards, please contact us at fmcivil@colorado.edu.
CU-Boulder Building & Construction Standards - Civil
Let us know
For comments or questions about operational, structural and civil engineering–related issues on campus, or to report a problem or observation, please contact us at fmcivil@colorado.edu.
To learn more about academic opportunities in engineering, visit the College of Engineering & Applied Science.