500 – General Information

500.1 – General Requirements

A. Design and Licensing Requirements:

1. Standard Colorado State University (CSU) fonts, colors and graphics are required for identification and wayfinding signage.

a. Refer to CSU Brand Standards for further details.

b. Refer to Visual Brand Languages of Colleges and Units for college- and unit-specific details.

2. CSU is the sole owner of its name and the symbols, graphics and marks that identify or are associated with the University.

3. All items bearing the CSU name, symbols, graphics or marks must be produced by a licensed vendor.

a. Refer to CSU Licensing for more information.

b. CSU Brandmarks (logos) are not allowed to be mounted as signage on buildings except for athletic facilities and major public-serving facilities, such as medical health and veterinary health services facilities.

c. Brandmarks (logos) of external organizations or companies are not allowed to be included in exterior signage, including building-mounted signage, except as determined by the CSU Naming Committee and the Physical Development Committee (PDC).

B. Interior and Exterior Regulatory Signage:

1. Regulatory signage is typically signage required for proper, code-agency-compliant operation, such as safety and vehicle regulatory signage and interior room identification signage.

a. Refer to Chapter 03 – Drawing and Design Requirements by Discipline for the CSU Room Numbering Standard.

2. This signage shall be submitted to the Project Representative and may not require review by the FM Environmental Graphic Designer.

3. Regulatory signage includes, but is not limited to, signage required by the International Code Council (ICC), Colorado Revised Statutes, CSU policies and Authorities Having Jurisdiction.

a. Restroom signage:

i. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

b. Colorado Revised Statutes include “No Smoking” decals within the “Building Decals” on every building and “No Smoking” signs as referenced in the CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

c. The Office of the State Architect’s (OSA) International Building Code Chapter 29 Amendment – State of Colorado Requirements for Amenities for All Genders includes “Interior Directory Signs” in every building near the building entrance, as referenced in the CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

i. In addition to the requirements in the OSA Amendment, the locations of all elevators and all existing inclusive spaces and elements shall be included on the Interior Directory Sign, including but not limited to adult changing tables, indoor bicycle parking rooms, lactation rooms, reflection rooms and commuter showers.

ii. For the complete list, refer to Chapter 06 – Requirements by Space Type and Use.

4. All interior rooms are required to have an Interior Room Number Sign.

a. As part of remodel and addition projects, a room number sign shall be added to all existing rooms within the Project that do not have a room number sign, regardless of whether the scope of Work is only inside the room.

b. If the building has its own interior signage system, the room number sign shall match that system. Otherwise, the room number sign shall follow all requirements of the Standards.

i. Refer to Division 10 – Specialties.

ii. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

iii. This signage shall be submitted to the Project Representative and requires review by the FM Environmental Graphic Designer.

5. All exterior non-accessible building entrances are required to have an Exterior Accessible Building Entrance Directional Sign indicating the direction to the closest accessible entrance.

a. In some situations, existing conditions may not allow for a sign, and a decal may be substituted.

b. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

c. This signage shall be submitted to the Project Representative and requires review by the Colorado State University Building Department.

6. All exterior accessible building entrances are required to have an Exterior Accessible Building Entrance Decal displaying the International Symbol of Accessibility.

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

b. This signage shall be submitted to the Project Representative and requires review by the Colorado State University Building Department.

7. All building entrances with an automatic door operator are required to have Caution: Automatic Door Decal(s) and Automatic Door: Activate Switch Decal(s).

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

C. Interior and Exterior Non-Regulatory Signage:

1. Projects that incorporate non-regulatory signage shall adhere to the following:

a. All signage shall be submitted by the Project Representative to the Facilities Management (FM) Environmental Graphic Designer for review and acceptance before completion of the Construction or Procurement Documents.

b. The Project Team, when requested by the Project Representative, shall present the signage to the FM Environmental Graphic Designer.

2. All non-regulatory exterior signage shall be reviewed and approved by the PDC.

D. Illumination on Exterior Signage:

1. Illuminated exterior signage is typically not allowed, in keeping with CSU’s light-pollution standards.

2. Internal illumination is allowed for the following types of exterior signage:

a. Athletic facilities

b. Medical health and veterinary health services facilities

c. Some retail facilities, as determined on a case-by-case basis with the FM Environmental Graphic Designer and the PDC

E. Exterior Automatic Door Operator Directional Signage at Building Entrances:

1. If provided, Exterior Automatic Door Operator Directional Signage at building entrances shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

F. Exterior Bicycle Directional Signage:

1. If provided, Exterior Bicycle Directional Signage shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

G. Exterior Building Address Signage – Freestanding:

1. All permanent buildings with a concrete pad, roof and utility service are required to have an Exterior Building Address Sign – Freestanding.

a. Permanent exterior building signage is required for emergency-response personnel, deliveries and general campus wayfinding.

i. The CSU standard Building Address Signage – Freestanding shall be used in all instances.

b. Contact the FM Environmental Graphic Designer regarding exemptions.

2. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

H. Exterior Building Directory Signage:

1. If provided, Exterior Building Directory Signage shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

I. Exterior Building Identification Signage – Small:

1. If provided, Exterior Building Identification Signage – Small shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

J. Exterior Building-Mounted Address Number Signage:

1. If provided, Exterior Building-Mounted Address Number Signage shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

b. If located within the City of Fort Collins, Poudre Fire Authority requirements for sign location and height shall be followed.

K. Exterior Building-Mounted Building Name Signage – Dimensional:

1. If provided, Exterior Building-Mounted Building Name Signage – Dimensional shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

L. Exterior Building-Mounted Building Name Signage – Vinyl:

1. Some campus buildings with distinct architectural character may not lend themselves to this type of lettering, and this signage may not be allowed.

a. The FM Environmental Graphic Designer shall make the final determination.

2. If provided, Exterior Building-Mounted Building Name Signage – Vinyl shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

M. Exterior Campus Entry Monument and Marker:

1. If provided, Campus Entry Monument and Marker shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

N. Exterior Campus Entry Monument – Outlying Campus:

1. If provided, Campus Entry Monument – Outlying Campus shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

O. Exterior College Identification Monument:

1. If provided, College Identification Monument shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

P. Exterior Colorado State Forest Service District/Field Office Signage:

1. If provided, Colorado State Forest Service District/Field Office Signage shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

Q. Exterior Informational Kiosk Signage:

1. If provided, Informational Kiosk Signage shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

R. Exterior Interpretive Signage:

1. If provided, Exterior Interpretive Signage shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

S. Exterior No Weapons Zone Decal:

1. If provided, Exterior No Weapons Zone Decals shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

T. Exterior Pedestrian Directional Signage:

1. If provided, Exterior Pedestrian Directional Signage shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

U. Exterior Private Shuttle Signage:

1. If provided, Exterior Private Shuttle Signage shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

V. Exterior Public Art Signage and Plaque:

1. If provided, Exterior Public Art Signage and Plaque shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

W. Exterior Research Center Entry Signage:

1. If provided, Exterior Research Center Entry Signage shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

X. Exterior Rideshare Signage:

1. If provided, Exterior Rideshare Signage shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

Y. Exterior University Trailblazer Directional Signage:

1. If provided, Exterior University Trailblazer Signage shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

Z. Exterior Vehicular Directional Signage:

1. If provided, Vehicular Directional Signage shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

AA. Interior Food Pantry Signage:

1. If provided, Interior Food Pantry Signage shall follow all requirements of the Standards:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

BB. Interior University Facility Fee Advisory Board (UFFAB) Appreciation Plaque:

1. Any University facility funded in part by UFFAB funds is required to include one UFFAB Appreciation Plaque at the main building entrance.

2. The CSU standard Interior UFFAB Appreciation Plaque shall be used in all instances:

a. Refer to CSU Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Standards – Additional Documents.

CC. 2D and 3D Branding or Graphic Installation:

1. 2D and 3D branding or graphic installations must be coordinated with University Marketing and Communications in conjunction with FM.

DD. Flexibility:

1. Signs that frequently change must be constructed of materials that are readily available locally.

2. All signage that frequently changes or requires a quick turnaround must be easily replaced and shall not be sole-sourced.

3. Custom signs are not acceptable for signage that changes frequently.