New engineering building is a “quantum leap forward”

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/new eng building.jpg” caption=”The five-storey, 125,000 square foot engineering building is expected to be completed by the winter of 2008. Image courtesy of the Faculty of Engineering.”]The new engineering building to be constructed near the front entrance of the University will provide much needed space for a growing number of engineering students and faculty, according to a report made by dean of engineering Mo Elbestawi at the Board of Governors meeting on Thursday, Dec. 14.

The building represents a “quantum leap forward” in the quality of learning experience offered to students, said Elbestawi.

The five-storey, 125,000 square foot building is the first phase of a building complex for the Faculties of Engineering, Science and Health Sciences.

Design development and planning for the building began in the spring of 2006. Construction began earlier this fall and is expected to be completed by the winter of 2008.

The building will include space for new graduate schools within the Faculty of Engineering, including the School of Biomedical Engineering, the School for Engineering Practice, Mechatronics and Energy Studies.

Space will be allocated for research labs, classrooms and offices that will be used by new faculty members (estimated at 45), new graduate students (estimated at 280) and first-year students (estimated at 850). The building will also include meeting and presentation rooms, a machine shop and student club rooms.

The basement and first floor of the building will be used by first-year engineering students.

The second floor will be allocated to the Xerox Centre for Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the Dofasco Centre for Engineering and Public Policy and the General Motors of Canada Centre for Engineering Design.

The third floor will house research space for micro- and nano-systems. This area recently received a $4.25 million grant from the CFI.

Labs for biomedical engineering will be located on the fourth floor. The Mechatronics Centre, which recently received $1 million in private sector funding for graduate studies, will be located on the fifth floor along with research facilities for sustainable energy.