Therkilsen Industrial Engineering Building Achieves LEED Gold

Iowa State University’s Therkildsen Industrial Engineering Building has officially received LEED Gold certification. The certification, awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), recognizes the building’s high-performance energy efficiency, water conservation, and improved indoor air quality. The project was a collaboration between Iowa State University, Design Engineers, BNIM Architects, and Story Construction, who worked together to ensure the building met stringent sustainability standards while providing state-of-the-art educational and research facilities.

Expected to open for class in the 2025 fall semester, the $73 million, 80,660-square-foot Therkildsen Industrial Engineering Building will be the new home of Iowa State University’s Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering. The building includes operational research labs and features a state-of-the-art manufacturing lab for Industry 4.0 training, a human factors and ergonomics research lab, and a data-intensive engineering analysis and visualization lab. Additionally, the building offers immersive digital technology spaces, active learning classrooms, computer labs, and administrative offices to support faculty, students, and departmental services.

Achieving LEED Gold

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world (LEED), evaluating buildings based on key sustainability metrics such as energy use, indoor environmental quality, and improved indoor air quality. Achieving Gold status places the Therkildsen Industrial Engineering Building among the top-tier green buildings nationwide. Important MEPFT features including advanced energy-efficient HVAC systems including energy recovery heat exchanger, optimized lighting, water-efficient fixtures and demand control ventilation for high occupancy spaces led to a 25.6% reduction in energy use, which equates to a predicted $45,645 in annual savings. Visit the USGBC website to see the building’s full LEED Gold scorecard and points overview.

About Iowa State University

Iowa State University is a world-class research institution dedicated to excellence in education, innovation, and sustainability. Through strategic partnerships and forward-thinking initiatives, Iowa State continues to lead in creating a more sustainable future for its students and the global community.

Visit Iowa State University’s College of Engineering website to learn more about the story behind the Therkildsen Industrial Engineering Building.