TruStage (formerly CUNA Mutual Group)

Madison, Wisconsin Facilities Improvement Plan

Pearson Engineering was retained to begin improving the HVAC infrastructure of CUNA Mutual Group in 1997, before the all-encompassing Facilities Improvement Project (FIP) began.  In that year, we replaced a centrifugal chiller in the Mutual Building and designed one air handling unit to replace two units serving the ground floor of the “B” wing.  The “B” wing project was completed as a prototype for the entire FIP, with new indirect lighting, new standardized workstations in open office spaces, and new or renovated VAV boxes.

The FIP began in 1999, and included 19 phases in the renovation of approximately 1,000,000 SF of office space.  Air handling systems which served a single phase of renovation were renovated/improved at the same time as the work on that portion of the building.  For the systems serving multiple phases of the FIP, a separate Air Handling Unit Project commenced in 2003, to renovate/improve the largest air handling systems.

Overall accomplishments of these HVAC infrastructure improvements are:

• Comfort is improved, and is consistent across the campus
• Indoor air quality is consistent throughout, with measurable ventilation rates
• Maintenance has become more predictable, with fewer emergency repairs, and better identification of work needed, using the electronic (DDC) system
• Energy use is dramatically reduced