By Preeteesh Peetabh Singh
Dialog Reporter
Casa Loma campus. File photo: GBC
The Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies (CCET) at Casa Loma campus is creating a green building centre to fast-track sustainable construction and innovation.
This new centre will help train students in advanced construction systems, efficient buildings and green energy. This centre will focus on construction practices that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life cycle: from site selection to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and demolition.
“Essentially what we are doing is renovating space at the CCET, Casa Loma to create more opportunities for our students. The labs will be installed with advanced equipment that will help the students to engage in applied research as a part of the teaching and learning experience of the college.” said Robert Luke, assistant vice president of research and innovation at George Brown College.
According to Luke, the new centre will have two labs, the building science lab which will include building, monitoring, and creating envelopes of concrete structures. It will also provide a test site and demonstration lab for companies that want to refine prototypes and test innovative systems and technologies in a realistic setting.
The other lab will be an advanced prototyping lab. It will include computer numeric control (CNC) machines, 3D printers and fabricators. This lab will focus on rapid development of new products and services.
Other than the labs, the centre will have an international business office, which will seek out new international markets for green technologies and keep track of emerging trends around the world. A business accelerator and entrepreneurship centre will pair applied research experts, including faculty and students from the college, with industry partners to work on projects in the appropriate lab environment.
The student and industry partnership is expected to create an environment where the students will work side by side with the industry heavyweights, providing great learning and networking opportunities for the students in the CCET program.
The new centre is looking to involve students from different courses to work together, “We are always looking for students across the college to work on applied research projects. Students from other programs can work with CCET students and eventually with industry partners. They should feel free to contact our research office or talk to their professors if they want to get involved”, said Luke.
The green building centre at the Casa Loma campus has received financial support from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario under its ‘prosperity initiative’ with a contribution of $6.6 million in addition to George Brown College’s own investment of $6.8 million.
The project is expected to be completed in March 2014.
