Academic Health Sciences Project
Building for the future
The Academic Health Sciences project is the largest capital building project in the history of the University of Saskatchewan. When complete, the facility will be a leading multidisciplinary, integrated facility, meeting the needs of all academic health sciences including medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy and nutrition, kinesiology, and veterinary medicine for teaching, administration and research. The University of Saskatchewan is unique in having the broadest array of health sciences programs in Canada. This provides a strong foundation for undergraduate and graduate programming. In addition, our faculty and students have access to the Canadian Light Source, Canada’s only synchrotron and VIDO (Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization), a world leader in the research and development of vaccine and immunity-enhancing technologies for humans and animals.
The Academic Health Sciences Project is an important investment in health care services for the Province of Saskatchewan. It will allow the university to be a leader in advancing health locally, nationally and globally. The facility will house a diverse group of faculty, researchers and graduate students committed to life and health science discovery. The building’s design and function will provide an environment that will stimulate and enhance learning, research and working experiences. Student space will include large classrooms, small meeting rooms, social spaces and state-of-the-art technology. Open concept labs and shared space will allow for collaborative research that will lead to new understandings of human health. In addition, the E wing building will house an expanded Health Sciences Library and a Clinical Learning Resource Centre.
Design and function are important components of the buildings and many sustainable features will provide some savings in construction costs and future operating costs. A number of these components will include:
• water conserving plumbing fixtures
• the reverse osmosis water system currently used in the B wing will be expanded to D wing to provide purified water needed for specific lab experiments
• open labs in the D wing will minimize infrastructure and maximize flexibility
• millwork will be built with commonly used and locally available material
• fieldstone from the demolished Laundry Building and Medical Research Building will be reused
• air handling systems will be sized to reduce pressure drop and fan energy
• older refrigerators and freezers that contain CFC’s will be replaced with energy efficient appliances
• daylight and exterior views within office space and labs will be optimized
• installation of a highly reflective roof system will reduce the heat load on the building
• some building materials will contain recycled content and low-emitting volatile organic chemicals (VOCs)
• the E wing will utilizing the existing pond by the Old Stone School House for storm water retention from its roof
As construction progresses on the D wing phase of the project, trades workers, equipment and noise levels will increase. Users of the Health Sciences Building will experience some disruption to their normal working environment; however their patience will be rewarded once the facility is complete. Construction of D wing is expected to be finished by late 2012, and E wing will go out for tender in late spring of 2009 with an anticipated start date in September 2009. Completion of this building is expected to be late 2013. Renovations to the existing health sciences A, B & C wings will be finished in 2015.