UPEI hosts official groundbreaking ceremony for new engineering building
The University of Prince Edward Island held an official groundbreaking ceremony today for its new School of Sustainable Design Engineering. Construction begins this week for the leading-edge, 75,000 square-foot building.
The Honourable Robert Ghiz, Premier of Prince Edward Island; the Honourable Allen Roach, Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning; Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, President and Vice-Chancellor, UPEI; Mr. Tom Cullen, Chair of the UPEI Board of Governors; Mr. Lucas MacArthur, President of the UPEI Student Union; UPEI faculty, staff, students; and industry stakeholders were in attendance.
'Today's groundbreaking ceremony was an opportunity to officially acknowledge the beginning of construction on this unique new building,' said President Abd-El-Aziz. 'This is truly an investment in the future of our students, our province, and the region through sustainable programming, global outreach, and knowledge-based and export-related economic benefits that the new building will provide.'
Initially focusing on bioresources, mechatronics, and sustainable energy and aligning with PEI's priority sectors, the School of Sustainable Design Engineering offers two programs including the two-year Engineering diploma and the new four-year Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Design Engineering degree.
'The provincial government is proud to contribute $16 million to UPEI's new School of Sustainable Design Engineering,' said Premier Robert Ghiz. 'UPEI provides students with a holistic approach to achieving a quality education that includes a solid foundation for lifelong
learning and the practical means for a fulfilling career.'
'The new School of Sustainable Design Engineering will help strengthen our university and provide us with a well-trained and knowledgeable engineering workforce, who are ready to start their careers,' said Minister Roach. 'This new specialized engineering degree program was
strategically chosen, due to increasing demand for both engineering graduates and increasing student interest, both regionally and internationally.'
The School will redefine the region through an industry-driven model based on 'real-world' collaboration, problem solving, and innovation, and this is reflected in the building's design. For example, the building's own heat exchange and ventilation systems will be accessible to the students as learning opportunities.
The main floor emulates a 'factory floor' or the clinic aspect of the program, designed for students who are eager to engage in hands-on and active learning. Here, students will be involved in assembly, prototype testing, and experimentation.
This first level is also where the Centre of Engineering Design and Industry Partnerships will be located, including four centres of excellence in food processing, sensory and sortation, sustainable energy, and robotics, and where students and faculty can work on pilot-scale, industrial R&D projects.
The program inspires innovative, targeted solutions through a team-focused, project-based approach versus the use of traditional classrooms. The second floor of the building will be where students, in design studios and ideation spaces, design sustainable processes, products, and systems that improve people's lives and better society.
The third level fosters client-centered facilitation and mentoring, integrating project management and the activities taking place on the other levels. Students will have access to smartboard meeting rooms in order to collaborate and connect with industry partners either in person or remotely.
The building will be completed by September 2016.
More about the new building:
• Building is a combination of two and three storeys
• Approximately half of the building footprint is two-storey in height with some warehouse-like space that will be used as focused labs or centres of excellence
• Building will consist of a steel structure and metal deck system with flat roofs, with envelope including a combination of a curtain wall, masonry, and metal siding.
• Building features design studios, smart boardrooms, seminar rooms, project ideation rooms, academic stairs, a green roof, and more.
• Architecture 49 designed the building; Brighton Construction is building the School.
