The newly renovated Rio Tinto Kennecott Mechanical Engineering Building at the University of Utah goes well beyond the adage of “what’s old is new again.”

The completely remodeled building is not just bigger and newer, it’s also much safer, more energy efficient and the latest example of the U’s efforts to build one of the most sustainable campuses in the country.

A dedication for the new building, 1495 E. 100 South, will be held Friday, Oct. 9, at 1:30 p.m. in the third floor Sidney and Marian Green Classroom. On hand for the ceremony will be U President David W. Pershing; Richard B. Brown, dean of the College of Engineering; and Nigel Steward, managing director of Rio Tinto Kennecott.

“The new Mechanical Engineering Building shows how far we have come in building technology,” said Brown. “When I joined the U 11 years ago, my office was in the Kennecott Building. It had no insulation in the walls, single-pane windows, an HVAC system that didn’t work well, and it was one of the worst places on campus to be if an earthquake should occur. I am delighted that the new Rio Tinto Kennecott Building sets the standard for energy efficiency and seismic robustness.”

Read the full press release in the U News Center.


The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah is committed to providing students with broad-based, rigorous and progressive education. By combining state-of-the-art facilities with renowned faculty, the department provides an education that gives students the necessary skills to become the next generation of innovators.