Aecom to renovate US Air Force Academy’s Sijan Hall

Aecom will modernize the US Air Force Academy’s Sijan Hall

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Omaha District has hired Aecom to design the renovation of the US Air Force Academy’s 700,000-square-foot Sijan Hall.

USACE and Aecom agreed on a five-phase, $25 million design contract that will allow cadets to live in the hall throughout construction.

This will be the first modernization project at Sijan Hall, which was built in 1968, and its part of the Colorado campus, Cadet Area, is a National Historic Landmark District.

Aecom’s renovation project will include updating the hall’s residential, academic, courtyard and recreational spaces.

“With more than 20 years of project experience at the U.S. Air Force Academy, we understand that it plays a vital role as both an active military installation and a prestigious institution of higher education,” said Aecom President Lara Poloni. “We are proud to support the Academy’s mission to prepare future generations of leaders in the Air Force, Space Force and beyond.”

Sijan Hall is the second-largest dormitory in the US – it houses 2,200 beds —is a cornerstone of cadet living and is grouped into squadrons, according to Aecom’s announcement.

Eyeing improved collaboration and cadet wellbeing, the infrastructure consulting firm will reconfigure shared spaces for studying and socializing. Aecom’s plans will also utilize energy-efficient materials and systems, smart building technologies and updated HVAC systems, which include geothermal energy and air conditioning for the first time.

According to the firm, meeting USACE’s high-performance and sustainable building requirements is a priority.

The modernization of Sijan Hall is not Aecom’s first project on the US Air Force Academy’s campus. The firm has established a portfolio of collaboration with the Academy including the ongoing restoration of the iconic Cadet Chapel, the design of the new US Air Force Center for Cyber Innovation (Cyberworx) and the historic Kettle Creek Dam.