By Paula Pittman

I love working on projects for education clients. There’s just something rewarding about designing a building that aids in someone’s career development and personal growth. How can I help students perform their best? How can I design for different learning styles?

These are the kinds of questions that my team and I asked while working on the new Heavy Equipment Centre of Excellence, a project at the Bay St. George campus for the College of the North Atlantic (CNA) in Stephenville, Newfoundland. The project serves students in the Heavy Equipment Industrial Trades programs, such as mobile crane operator, heavy equipment operator, and commercial driver/class 3 driver. It is a two-floor facility that features classrooms, a carpentry shop, workshops for high bay maintenance and heavy equipment, a lunchroom, and administration offices.

Why am I proud of this project? Well, I’m proud that this building reflects the distinct traits of an innovative, modern, industrial learning space. Schools for industrial programs have traditionally felt dark, dank, and cramped. Those buildings, many built a half-century ago, often didn’t have bright classrooms or gathering spaces where students could connect. I imagine that some students found it hard to focus in older industrial learning spaces, especially if those students were surrounded by sounds and smells from the heavy equipment work.

Learning environments are evolving, and as designers, we try to create spaces for different learning styles. Perhaps one student learns best through visual cues, while their seatmate gathers more through verbal or physical learning. It’s important to keep all learning styles in mind.

Are you looking to create an elevated educational experience for your industrial learning space? Here are some ways to accomplish that.

1. Incorporate daylighting

Daylighting contributes to a healthy learning environment. Research has shown that daylighting can improve test scores. Access to natural light and outdoor views helps to support healthy circadian rhythms.

As I mentioned earlier, traditional industrial learning spaces often felt very dark. So, for the CNA’s Heavy Equipment Centre, we used glass and windows wherever we could. We added translucent glazing and clerestory windows in the two-story high bay workshop areas. Windows along the second-floor classroom corridor offer views into the bays and to access borrowed light in the bay itself. Students won’t feel like they’re in a dark warehouse. They’ll be working in a bright environment, and each classroom has expansive glazing to let natural light shine in.

2. Add modern classrooms

Older industrial learning facilities didn’t always include traditional classrooms. Students would have to learn in the workshops and discuss projects there.

But adding modern classroom settings can elevate the learning experience. This way, students can perform hands-on work in the industrial areas and bring the discussion back to a classroom. The CNA project offers teachers, students, and industry partners options for learning spaces.

3. Expose building components

Here’s an idea that might not feel obvious for your design: Consider exposing some of the building pieces. If you’re designing for industrial students, they’re likely interested in how and why building systems work. Instead of putting a ceiling over the inner workings of your building, create visual interest and embrace learning opportunities.

For the Heavy Equipment Centre, we’ve exposed building systems in many areas. We designed exposed ceilings down the corridors that show ductwork and cable trays. We used CNA’s colors—green for the cable trays, and blue for the cables—to match other parts of the building. There’s also a glass-backed elevator, so students can see the mechanics as the elevator travels up and down.

4. Create gathering spaces

When designing a modern education facility, it’s wise to provide as much flexibility as possible for various group sizes and collaboration styles. How can you incorporate different gathering spaces?

At the Heavy Equipment Centre, we designed alcoves with soft seating, where small groups can meet to enjoy lunch or work on a project. In the cafeteria, there are a variety of spaces so students can collaborate in smaller or larger groups, providing people a chance to interact away from classrooms.

5. Prioritize acoustics and air quality

Multiuse spaces like industrial learning facilities present unique challenges for proper acoustic and air quality control measures. The noisy shop spaces that produce fumes and smells must be properly treated so as not to create air quality or occupant comfort issues in the rest of the building.

On the CNA project, our mechanical and architectural designers worked closely together to deliver a facility where the different occupancies have nearly no impact on each other. We used acoustic panels on the walls between noisy process spaces and the remainder of the building. We sealed the classrooms for dust, smoke, and acoustics. That way, students and staff can focus on their work.

A Modern Industrial Learning Space

The Heavy Equipment Centre proves it’s possible to create a modern industrial learning space. I find these projects rewarding, and I’m thrilled that we’ve helped to create a building that instills pride in staff, students, and visiting industry professionals.

Stantec Principal and Senior Architect Paula Pittman has a focus on complex projects in the industrial, health and educational sectors.

The post Five Tips to Designing a Modern Industrial Learning Center appeared first on School Construction News.

CALGARY, Alberta—Late last year, government officials gathered in Alberta to announce plans for 25 new school projects, including the construction of 15 new schools.

According the CTV News, Education Minister Adriana LaGrange said the 25 school projects will be supported under the provincial government’s Budget 2019 Capital Plan.

With a funding commitment of nearly $400 million, new high schools will be built in in Calgary, Edmonton, Leduc, Blackfalds and Langdon.

“On behalf of Premier Kenney and my government colleagues, I am honored to be here at Nose Creek School to announce the funding for full construction of a new high school for north Calgary,” said LaGrange.

This announcement made residents extremely happy as this community was desperately in need of a high school, said Ian McAnerin, a parent in the neighborhood.

“It’s about time, it’s over time, the thing is it’s going to be full the day it opens, so it’s past due actually.”

McAnerin told local media that when he moved into the area 21 years ago, there was talk then of a new high school, but it continually got put on the back burner by provincial officials. Now, he’s happy for parents of young children in the community and surrounding areas who won’t have to face the same bussing issues he and his children did.

Kasia Gajewska—whose own son will probably not benefit from the new school—was an advocate for a new high school and worked hard for years to make this a reality. Her advice to others included, “Stick to it. You know your need; you know your neighborhood [and] your community. Be persistent, go for it, it can sometimes take up to 15 years. I hope it doesn’t, but stick to it.”

The province expects construction on this new high school in Coventry Hills to be finished within two years to three years.

The list of new schools for the province includes:

• K-4 Calgary Board of Education elementary school in Auburn Bay (Calgary)
• Grade 5-9 Calgary Board of Education middle school in Auburn Bay (Calgary)
• Calgary Board of Education high school in north Calgary
• K-9 Calgary Catholic School District elementary/junior high school (Cochrane)
• New Grade 7-12 Rocky View Schools junior/senior high school (Langdon)
• Grade 6-9 Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools middle school (Red Deer)
• Wolf Creek Public Schools high school (Blackfalds)
• Grade 10-12 Edmonton Public Schools high school in southeast Edmonton
• K-9 Edmonton Public Schools elementary/junior high (Windermere/Keswick)
• Grade 10-12 Edmonton Catholic Schools high school in Heritage Valley Town Center (Edmonton)
• K-9 Edmonton Catholic Schools elementary/junior high (Windermere/Keswick)
• K-12 Conseil Scolaire Centre Nord school (Beaumont)
• Grade10-12 Black Gold School Division high school (Leduc)
• K-9 Conseil Scolaire Centre Nord elementary/junior high (Legal)
• K-3 Living Waters Catholic Schools elementary school (Whitecourt)

The post Alberta Announces Funding for 25 School Projects appeared first on School Construction News.

The ceremony to present the awards was held earlier this year during MBI’s annual convention and tradeshow in Las Vegas. Each entry was reviewed by a panel of industry and non-industry construction and code experts, architects and engineers, and marketing professionals.

A full list of awards and case studies are available at: www.modular.org/awards

Permanent less than 5,000 square feet

First Place
Shoreline Elementary
Shoreline, Wash.
Size: 3,320 square feet
Company: Williams Scotsman
Affiliate: Whitley Manufacturing Co. Inc.

This modern modular design has a sleek exterior that combines a gable center section with tall single-slope roof sections on each side, pitching from the tall front side to the low side at the back. The unique site-finished front entry canopy is an extension of the factory roof but does not require site constructed footings for post supports. Structural bracing supports the angled back and attaches to the building, creating a very attractive entry. All eight sites utilize the same board and batten exterior with two paint schemes that allow the modular classrooms to blend in with the existing buildings.

Honorable Mention
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish School Classroom
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Size: 1,792 square feet
Company: Sommer’s Mobile Leasing
Affiliate: Manufactured Structures Corp.

The customer wanted to replace a dated auxiliary classroom with a structure that blended with the parish architectural surroundings. A fast-track construction process was also a requirement. A modular building was supplied with a factory hip roof and the ability to accept brick facing. Also, windows and doors were matched to the parish’s present buildings. The building needed to have five classrooms, an office and copy room within a limited footprint. Two modules were designed to maximize the available allotted courtyard space. The speed of modular construction allowed the school to increase enrollment on very short notice.

Permanent more than 10,000 square feet

First Place
Millmont Elementary
Reading, Pa.
Size: 60,000 square feet
Company: NRB Inc.

This new 98,000-square-foot school combines elementary and magnet school programs and consists of 60,000 square feet of modular construction for classrooms, offices and media centers. It also has 38,000 square feet of site-built facilities housing the gym, cafeteria and mechanical spaces. The brick-and-concrete facade resembles a 1950s school and fits with surrounding architecture. Finishes include the original gargoyles salvaged from the old school.

Honorable Mention
Rio Salado College
Avondale, Ariz.
Size: 12,170 square feet
Company: Modular Technology Inc.

This design-build structure for an online college that offers classroom instruction, computer labs, a testing center and administrative support. The facility incorporates features of geography, landscape and surrounding architecture. Soaring front monoliths with dry-stacked stone accents frame the entry for architectural focus. Features include clerestory windows and carpeting, interior paint and fixtures that match the earth tones of the stacked stone.

Permanent 5,000 to 10,000 square feet

First Place
Woodland School
Location: Lacey, Wash.
Size: 9,520 square feet
Company: Blazer Industries Inc.
Affiliate: Williams Scotsman

This eight-classroom addition with an internal double-loaded corridor and central restrooms was built to provide additional classroom space for an existing school going through an extensive remodeling and expansion process. The modular addition is sited off the end of a main corridor in the existing school and is connected with a covered walkway to provide shelter for the students as they walk between buildings. All of the finishes, both interior and exterior, were selected to match the finishes used in the renovation of the existing school building to tie all of the improvements together with a common theme.

Honorable Mention
Kapuskasing School Addition
Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada
Size: 5,236 square feet
Company: Provincial Partitions Ltd.

This facility will house approximately 125 teachers and students. The unit is attached to the existing school, allowing for unobstructed recreational areas. The design provides better protection against inclement weather because students are not exposed to the outdoors when accessing the main building. The building includes spacious rooms and corridors to allow for easy traffic flow throughout the building.

Green Building
First Place
Charlottesville Waldorf School
Charlottesville, Va.
Size: 864 square feet
Company: M Space Holdings LLC
Affiliate: Miller Building Systems, Inc.

This building is equipped with large operable windows on three sides to allow natural ventilation when weather permits. When climate control is required, a high-efficiency heat pump delivers heating or cooling quietly through low-volume ducts and diffusers. Controls include a humidistat, occupancy sensor, motorized damper and two-stage compressor. Comfortable temperature and humidity are maintained with extra insulation, a moisture barrier and reflective roofing membrane. Recycled materials, including exterior siding, flooring and acoustical ceiling materials were used during construction. The building features dual glazed, Low-E glass windows and daylight harvesting with sun tunnels. The facility was sited to create minimal impact on surface water movement.

Temporary less than 5,000 square feet

First Place
New Castle Classroom, Scott County School #2
Venna, Ind.
Size: 1,056 square feet
Company: Tyson Corp.
Affiliate: Manufactured Structures Corp.

This project consisted of one 24-foot x 44-foot modular elementary classroom building. The building was installed on concrete piers, with the threshold of the doors at 30 feet above grade. The design incorporates clean architectural lines. The beige siding, along with the brown shingles and trim on the 2:12-pitch roof, complement the tan brick elementary school building. The combination of a steel; commercial grade, 2-foot x 4-foot grid ceiling with lay-in acoustical tiles; and 26 ounce commercial-grade carpeting provides a good acoustic learning/teaching environment. Oak veneered plywood paneling creates additional aesthetic appeal.

Honorable Mention
Ehove Career Center
Milan, Ohio
Size: 1,904 square feet
Company: Innovative Modular Solutions Inc.
Affiliate: Whitley Manufacturing

This multi-county, vocational technical school was experiencing an increasing demand for its programs. The limited space resulted in a plan to install a modular building, utilizing the green space between the two permanent school buildings. This plan allowed all students to remain on campus and minimized their commute between buildings.

Temporary more than 10,000 square feet

First Place
Montgomery Public Schools
Montgomery County, Ala.
Size: 45,000 square feet
Company: M Space Holdings LLC
Affiliate: Design Space Inc.

The Montgomery County School District was faced with several challenges. It had six schools in need of additional classroom and restroom space due to renovations and increased enrollment. Forty-four classroom buildings and three restroom buildings were manufactured and set up in 30 days to meet the immediate need of the school district. The units were designed to be portable to meet future space needs throughout the district. Type IIB clear-span construction was used for both building types.

Honorable Mention
Tarleton University Classrooms and Office
Killeen, Texas
Size: 13,320 square feet
Company: Nortex Modular Space
Affiliate: Amtex Corporation

This office and classroom building consists of 12 units that provide 13,320 square feet to serve 240 students and provide office space for 20 employees in private offices. The exterior finish is site-installed stucco with a mansard roof designed to match the adjacent existing school buildings. The ceiling height is 9 feet and all interior walls are insulated and installed full-height to the rafters to prevent sound transfer.

Temporary 5,000 to 10,000 square feet

First Place
Full Service Schools of Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Fla.
Size: 3,456 square feet
Company: M Space Holdings LLC
Affiliate: Southeast Modular

The Full Service Schools of Jacksonville is a United Way-led collaborative approach to serve the therapeutic, health and social service needs of at-risk students and families in Duval County. The schools are set up to support neighborhoods and schools providing family and substance abuse counseling. Eight 12-foot x 36-foot modules created a building for a high school campus. A 36-foot x 96-foot building consists of 13 offices, restrooms and a reception area. Carpet and vinyl flooring is installed throughout the building, along with energy-efficient florescent lighting and suspended acoustical ceilings.

Honorable Mention
Saint Stephen’s Academy
Beaverton, Ore.
Size: 5,964 square feet
Company: Modern Building Systems Inc.

This building at the private K-12 Christian school, which features seven modules containing the school’s multi-occupant restrooms, is installed perpendicular to the other sections. The school is expecting to relocate to another site that allows for expansion in a few years when it has outgrown this building. The school’s intent is to relocate the modular building and place additional structures at that time. Modular, relocatable space was the only cost-efficient solution for the school that would meet its current and future needs.

The post 2009 Modular Building Awards appeared first on School Construction News.