Apex Engineering Group provided the electrical design for the Bismarck State College Advanced Technology Center, a 90,000-square-foot facility supporting the college’s mission as North Dakota’s Polytechnic Institution. Designed for flexibility and innovation, the center supports programs in cybersecurity, robotics, and advanced tech training.

The process began in the fall of 2018, when Bismarck State College started expanding its mission to become North Dakota’s Polytechnic Institution. This mission includes hands-on learning from industry-trained faculty and internships with industry partners that prepare students to be workforce-ready right out of college. This new mission highlighted a need for a high-tech facility to house these programs.

In January 2022, BSC received authorization to construct a new high-tech facility featuring large flex labs, an event venue and auditorium, a cybersecurity operations center, office spaces, a digital hive, and multiple conference rooms. Construction on this facility, which was named the Advanced Technology Center, was completed at the end of 2024. 

The design and construction process for this project was made difficult due to the many unknown needs these new programs would require and the need to provide flexibility for future changes. These programs are expected to be ever-changing to meet the future industry needs.

The facility includes a robust electrical power distribution system throughout, standard and color-changing LED lighting and controls, telecommunications throughout the facility interconnected to the BSC’s campus-wide communications distribution system, fire alarm system with emergency voice alarm communications system, video surveillance/access control system, and multiple
audio-visual systems.

There are two flex labs, which are large, open spaces designed for flexibility, allowing different learning environments to be rotated throughout the space. Uses of these spaces may include the operation of drones, robotics, large training skids, mobile training skids, and conferences.

This required the electrical systems to be flexible in these spaces. Each lab has multiple panelboards, ceiling-mounted bus duct, multiple configurations of power receptacles, cord reels, dimmable LED lighting, cable tray with telecommunications cabling, portable power distribution units, automatic/manually controlled glass shading/tinting system, and an audio-video system
throughout with 12’ x 7’ LED visual display walls. 

The centerpiece of the facility is a 600-seat event venue that was designed to be flexible with retractable seating and access to allow vehicles/equipment to be brought onto the stage and still function as a theatre. This area included a full theatrical lighting system, a complex
audio-video system including sound enhancement, a production intercom system, an assistive listening system, a video production system, and three large video display walls. The main 20’ x 40’ video wall on the stage is mounted to rigging that allows it to be raised up out of the way when not utilized.

The Security Operations Center is a space that will be used to teach the cybersecurity program. This room was designed to mimic a typical operation center. It has multiple flat panel displays that cover entire wall surfaces, a system of floor boxes at workstations with raceways to a server room to allow communications cabling to be installed and modified, and special color-changing lighting.

Working hand-in-hand with Bismarck State College staff on this project allowed Apex to strengthen its relationship, which led to Apex landing the electrical design for its new athletic center, which is now also under construction. This athletic center will house a 2,500-seat arena, suites, locker rooms, simulator and e-sports rooms, strength and conditioning space, and wrestling rooms.