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OCTOBER 2017 | 65 Software and Informatics Research Centre (SIRC) – UOIT PHOTOGRAPHY BY KALVIN TAYLOR/COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ONTARIO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Software and Informatics Research Centre (SIRC) – UOIT by ROBIN BRUNET G iven the seemingly endless debate about what type of physical environment best promotes learning, developing any new institutional facility is a major undertaking, and the Software and Informatics Research Centre (SIRC) at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) is no exception. SIRC is a four-storey, 80,000-square- foot structure designed as an advanced research facility addressing the University's need for new spaces for research, study and future active learning. UOIT's board of governors approved the go-ahead for the new facility in the spring of 2016, and Craig Elliott, the school's CFO, says, "Initially we were going to build it ourselves as we faced a severe space crunch: our student population had grown from 100 when we first opened in 2004 to over 10,000 a decade later. "However, when we decided on pursuing a hybrid design build model with a GMP, our vision for the facility remained the same: it was to accommodate the faculties of science and business, and be a true interdisciplinary and innovative research building. In retaining Dialog, we also needed SIRC to be welcoming to new students, since the registrar's office would be located on the ground level." Dialog considered innovation through the overall design of the building in many ways –esthetically, technically and through process. This design of the UOIT building began with a series of questions that led to the overall design principles, including: How can a building: promote social engagement and foster critical thinking? Facilitate a technology- enriched learning environment? Empower students and researchers, and anticipate the future? As a result, Dialog therefore designed the main floor with lots of glazing and ambient light as a defining feature, while the upper floors would exhibit a lower window count in order to help meet UOIT's other main objective of achieving an energy reduction target of 25 percent savings above the industry standard. With a budget of $26 million that dictated only the first two floors of the facility to be completed and the upper two levels to be shelled, Dialog designed the facility to be comprised of flexible innovative learning spaces. Elliott says, "We mixed labs and classrooms in innovative ways, and of the 16 labs and four large classrooms in total, Dialog made the classrooms divisible, with seating that could be easily reconfigured, and a central student space in the upper three floors." "We believed that students and faculty have the potential to create positive change if we designed spaces that encouraged collaboration and innovation," adds Steve Sestic from Dialog. Energy and sustainability features developed by Dialog include stormwater management, sensor control LED lighting and a low window to wall ratio of under 40 percent. Larry Brual, senior project manager from Turner & Townsend assigned to the Office of Campus Infrastructure and Sustainability at UOIT, says, "There are bioretention features, so if there is any surface water runoff, it will be collected and filtered naturally before it goes into the sewer." Brual goes on to note that clear and concise communication from all parties was crucial to the success of SIRC, due to an extremely tight construction schedule. EllisDon Corporation broke ground on the site in August of 2016, meaning the first two floors had to be ready for Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science lab occupancy for the 2017 fall season. "This arrangement changed when we received federal funding in May of 2016 to complete the building, and so we had to scramble to get a contract signed for completion of the upper two levels by December of 2017," says Elliott. He adds, "Everything moved very quickly, and EllisDon was crucial in identifying all our milestones and meeting them. They also identified potential technical issues that might occur during construction and ensured that all the information was conveyed to our contractors." Adhering to the budget was a major consideration, "And to that end we undertook value engineering to determine where costs could be cut back," says Brual. "This resulted in several initiatives, the main one being doing the UPS work in the facility's data centre ourselves. "We also strictly implemented change controls: there were only three change orders for the entire project, which is remarkable." Paul McInnes, project manager for EllisDon, goes into detail about just how fast-track the project was. "Under a design build model the conceptual drawings were delivered in April of 2016; the budget was presented in June, the contract was awarded in July, and we mobilized later that month and started drilling in August. There was no room for error, and thankfully we enjoyed decent Fall weather for the creation of our foundation and the erection of the structural steel. "Unfortunately, what came afterwards was a very wet winter and spring, which complicated the pouring of the composite slab metal decks. The structure was enclosed, but we were never able to get a full week without rain to do our cladding – but we made it work anyway." Jonathan D'Andrade, mechanical engineer for MCW Consultants Ltd., was impressed by the owners' and Dialog's diligence "in ensuring that SIRC would have lots of extra capacity for future growth." As for MCW's involvement, D'Andrade says, "given the fast track schedule the equipment had to be ordered early. Instead of a big roof air handling unit we opted for a dedicated outside air system, coupled with fan coils and CO2 sensors in many spaces that would determine the amount of ventilation required." Fan coils provided the flexibility of atmospheric control required by SIRC and also proved to be the solution for a data centre built for interactive learning purposes within a classroom. Of the project's exterior appearance, Brodie & Associates Landscape Architects founder Helle Brodie says, "much of what we did followed the requirements of creating a pedestrian- friendly environment. Given the transparency of the main level, we tried to extend interior components to the outdoor space, hence tables and benches for study purposes separated by planters. Bioswales were created just outside the perimeter to hint at a feeling of enclosure without impeding the visual surveillance that is necessary for security." As of September, the first two floors of SIRC were operational, and crews were busy preparing the two upper floors for occupancy. Elliott echoes the sentiments of his colleagues when he says, "We're on schedule and on budget, and the building is beautiful. Considering we started the project thinking the upper floors would have to be finished at a later date, this looks like it's going to end very well for us." A LOCATION 40 Conlin Road, Oshawa, Ontario OWNER/DEVELOPER University of Ontario Institute of Technology PROJECT MANAGER Turner & Townsend ARCHITECT DIALOG GENERAL CONTRACTOR EllisDon Corporation STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Dorlan Engineering Consultants Inc. MECHANICAL/ ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT MCW Group of Engineering Companies LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Brodie & Associates Landscape Architects Inc. TOTAL SIZE 80,000 square feet TOTAL COST $33.5 million 8:14 AM 9:46 AM

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