Roo Valley at Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden

Roo Valley brings together animal habitats, research technology, and visitor amenities within one 50,000-square-foot experience. Supporting those very different environments required building systems that could meet specialized animal care needs, accommodate research, and serve guests, all while remaining largely invisible to the people experiencing the space.

Motz Engineering provided mechanical, electrical, controls, and plumbing design supporting the blue penguin exhibit’s 100,000-gallon Life Support System. The specialized infrastructure helps maintain the aquatic environment required by the penguins while integrating with the broader building systems serving the exhibit.

The habitat also presented an unusual electrical engineering challenge. Researchers use an RFID system to study penguin behavior, tracking information such as how frequently the birds enter the 12-foot-deep pool, how long they remain underwater, and which areas of the habitat they use most. Motz developed a code-compliant disconnect system for the RFID loop, allowing the research equipment to be safely locked out during future maintenance while protecting both maintenance personnel and the penguins.

Visitor amenities created a very different coordination challenge. With only approximately 100 square feet of back-of-house space available, Motz worked closely with the HVAC and plumbing contractors to fit the systems supporting the pizza oven and beer taps into an exceptionally tight footprint. Careful coordination allowed the necessary infrastructure to fit within the available space without compromising the visitor-facing experience.

Specialized facilities often require very different systems to work within the same building. For owners, early collaboration between engineers, contractors, operators, and specialty vendors can identify maintenance, safety, and space constraints before they become construction or operational problems. Thoughtful MEP coordination helps protect the owner’s investment while creating spaces that work for every user, even when some of those users happen to be penguins.

Roo Valley demonstrates Motz Engineering’s ability to solve unusual building challenges through practical engineering, close coordination, and an understanding of how systems will actually be operated and maintained long after construction is complete.