Bellco Credit Union
Aurora, Colorado

Creating an account has many benefits:
Aurora, Colorado
Arno Sandoval, Alisha Tyler and Lindsay Wehmeier, NewGround International
Logan Unrein of FSC MEP
Aurora Branch
499 S. Airport Blvd
Aurora, CO 80017
May, 2024
2021 IECC requirements: Meet the requirement of 10 energy credits
Environmental stewardship: Use recycled materials where possible
Linear integration: Maintain a sleek, flush appearance within grid system
High-quality drivers: Offer durability and long-lasting performance
The story of Bellco Credit Union's Aurora branch began with a vision: create a space that is functional and welcoming, a place where members feel at ease and staff could thrive. The vision took shape under the careful guidance of NewGround Design's team, with architects Arno Sandoval and Alisha Tyler at the helm. Their blueprint blended innovation and practicality and finally came to life on May 17, 2024 at 499 S Airport Blvd. Central to this transformation was a play of light, orchestrated in partnership with FSC MEP Engineers, illuminating the space and shaping its character. To understand the heart of the project, we spoke with Cody Goodrich, Director of Marketing for NewGround Design.
“We most enjoy designing projects where we build a strong relationship of trust with our clients,” said Goodrich. “Through this trust, we can push designs forward, challenge the status quo and create spaces that are innovative, efficient, and unique.” For NewGround, the type of space—whether a large headquarters, a small branch location, or a hotel—matters less than the opportunity to redefine possibilities and meet client goals.
“With over a 111-year history, we have experience and expertise throughout just about every market there is. We love to keep our workflow diversified and allow ourselves the creativity to take ideas from different markets and apply them to new spaces” Goodrich explains.
NewGround Design focuses in four primary areas; financial, workplaces, hospitality and retial.
“The space is designed to feel welcoming and helpful.” -Cody Goodrich
“The space is designed to feel welcoming and helpful, guiding members to the correct area in order to receive the help they need,” Goodrich shares. It is equally functional for employees, offering an environment optimized for productivity and member services.
The Bellco Credit Union space is a hub for members to manage all their transactional needs, from indoor consultations to drive-through services.
“We most enjoy designing projects where we build a strong relationship of trust with our clients.”
“Rather than your typical 2x2 grid system, we utilized a 1’x4’ grid and ceiling tiles to create a linear visual.” - Cody Goodrich
The NewGround Design Team for this project consisted of Alisha Tyler and Lindsay Wehmeier. Tyler previously used Alcon Lighting products on another banking project for U.S. Eagle Federal Credit Union. For this project, Tyler and Wehmeier partnered with Logan Unrein of FSC MEP as engineering consultants to select the best fixtures for Bellco’s space.
After a discovery session with the client, NewGround identified a desire for clean lines, hidden details and a sophisticated, minimalist aesthetic. “This led us to create a unique ceiling in the open lobby/waiting area,” said Goodrich. “Rather than your typical 2x2 grid system, we utilized a 1’x4’ grid and ceiling tiles to create a linear visual. We wanted the light fixture to look like it was part of the grid, running parallel to achieve that contemporary and sleek aesthetic.”
“Some cities do enforce regulations and requirements, such as the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code. The IECC requires a space to have 10 energy credits,” Goodrich says. “FSC and NewGround worked alongside each other to carefully design a project space that would meet these requirements while still retaining the original design standards. They creatively adjusted wattages and quantities of fixtures to achieve this goal.”
“This client is very understanding in knowing that the best way to keep building costs down is to design a space that is both efficient and does not waste square footage. This remained a primary goal throughout the project, with a secondary goal of keeping energy levels low to meet the 2021 IECC requirements. This ensured that the building had full control of window shades and any other mechanical and plumbing considerations that could also be energy efficient.”
While the client did not require results to be measurable, Goodrich explains that they strive to be good stewards of the environment. NewGround took this into account with the design, selecting materials made of recycled content, such as carpet with 100% recycled content nylon.
“The most important deciding factor was a linear light that could be integrated to the ceiling grid and flush to create a sleek design,” Goodrich says. “We also wanted to stay in the 3,500 Kelvin range, so the light color wasn’t too cool or too warm while still providing a quality LED with drivers to last.”
NewGround selected Alcon Lighting’s 12525 LED Linear T-Bar Ceiling Grid Lights. These fixtures seamlessly aligned with the ceiling grid system, achieving the clean, uniform aesthetic the client desired. The integration also provided the flexibility and quality needed to meet the project’s functional lighting requirements.
Bellco Credit Union’s redesigned space showcases NewGround Design’s ability to merge form and function. Through their partnership with FSC MEP Engineers and the use of Alcon Lighting’s 12525 LED Linear T-Bar Ceiling Grid Lights, the team achieved a balance of aesthetic simplicity and operational efficiency. This innovative approach ensures that the space meets the needs of both members and employees while embodying Bellco’s commitment to service and excellence.
“The space is designed to feel welcoming and helpful, guiding members to the correct area in order to receive the help they need.”
Commercial lighting stands at a pivotal moment where technical capabilities are meeting human needs in new and unexpected ways. Motivated by decades of research in the field of Human-centric lighting (HCL), an area of lighting design that aims to harmonize and address the physiological impact of artificial lighting on the individual.