KLH Engineers

Autodesk BIM Experience Award Winner

Kohrs Lonnemann Heil Engineers (KLH Engineers) was an early adopter of Building Information Modeling (BIM). The company implemented Autodesk® Revit® MEP in 2006 to help improve its mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineering designs and streamline its digital design-to-fabrication workflows. Since then the firm has used BIM processes on over 30 projects at a total construction value of nearly $400 million. Mindful of its leadership position, KLH Engineers has become a strong advocate for BIM. The firm provides educational programs to clients, architectural partners, construction associates, and industry organizations—encouraging the use of BIM to transform building design and delivery practices and improve building performance.

Listen to Principal Jeff Millard, Electrical Engineer Stephen Federle, and Mechanical Engineer Kevin Goetz describe how KLH Engineers relies on BIM to better serve its clients and improve its design processes and efficiency.

About KLH Engineers

KLH Engineers is an MEP engineering firm that also offers communication and information technology design, commissioning, lighting design, and green building services for new and existing buildings. Founded in 1955, KLH has a proven record of delivering accurate documents and meeting aggressive schedules for its healthcare, civic, institutional, retail, education, and commercial clients. The firm has over 80 highly trained engineers and support staff in its Kentucky and Ohio offices.

KLH Engineers Mines Intelligent Revit MEP Models

KLH Engineers relies on Autodesk BIM solutions, including Autodesk® Revit® MEP, Autodesk® 3ds Max® Design, Autodesk® Navisworks®, and Autodesk® Buzzsaw® software for its MEP projects. KLH proactively works to promote BIM within the industry for integrated project coordination, improved building delivery, and digital fabrication processes. The company is also implementing the Autodesk® Green Building Studio® web service to support its sustainable design and analysis services.

One of the firm’s first BIM projects was the $12.5 million renovation of the Klau Library at Ohio’s Hebrew Union College. The library is home to the second largest Hebraic text collection outside of Jerusalem and includes a vast collection of rare books, some over 1000 years old. The project entailed the renovation of an existing five-story library and the construction of a new addition that includes stacks and a viewing area for the rare books, as well as conference and office spaces.

All the new mechanical systems needed to fit within the existing structure of the old library and tie into the existing steam plant. The project team—including the architect, structural engineer, KLH, and the construction manager—used an integrated project delivery approach. With Autodesk BIM solutions, they coordinated their designs, expedited the construction schedule, and returned the collection back to its permanent location quickly.

To protect its rare books, the library building requires precise humidity and temperature control. KLH used the intelligent information in the Revit MEP model to conduct energy analysis and develop an optimal design. The design satisfied the book preservation needs as well as the client’s requirement for energy efficiency—a geothermal mechanical system that helps reduce energy and operating costs by an estimated 40%.

Reseller

KLH uses Advanced Solutions, Inc. (ASI), in Cincinnati, Ohio, as its reseller.