Simon Fraser University - New Buildings
Technology and Science Complex 1 | TASC 1
The TASC 1 (pronounced “task”) building was completed last year and is one of eight major new campus buildings to have been built at the Simon Fraser University Burnaby Mountain campus while I have been attending.
The 9,664 square metre / 31,700 square foot three-storey TASC 1 (Technology and Sciences Complex I) Building is the first building in the development of an expanded Science precinct on the south side of the campus.
(from the SFU Campus Planning Website)
TASC 1 is located at the Southeast corner of the campus in the South Science precinct.
TASC 1 south elevation.
TASC 1 has an uninterrupted southern exposure and the building utilizes passive solar design and solar shades to mitigate the significant solar gain of the site. The concrete walls also have an admixture or some other ingredient to significantly increase their R-factor (insulation rating).
TASC 1 solar shade detail.
TASC 1 has two cores and each has a stairwell, elevator lobby, study/seating area with a southern view through wooden sunshades.
TASC 1 is connected to the Kinesiology building and the rest of the campus by an aerial walkway.
TASC 1 has three three-storey atriums, one on each side of the cores and one between. This is the east atrium. Classrooms and labs are on the north (right) side of this photo and offices are on the left.
TASC 1 west atrium. The offices are now on the right side of the photo and the class rooms and labs are on the left.
Technology and Science Complex 2 | TASC 2
A new 12,670 square metre / 41,570 square foot wet/dry laboratory building designed for a range of research activities with support office space, includes a 6,300 square metre / 20,700 square foot highly specialized research laboratory. The design incorporates a generic, modular, highly flexible approach to the building layout and services. The building is also designed to fit into the campus pedestrian network system and includes two major public spaces which provide naturally lit transition and gathering spaces.
Green Building Features:
§ High performance green building strategies were applied in the building systems.
§ Site strategies for storm water management include low flow rate roof drains, detention tanks, water efficient landscaping and construction site management.
§ Water efficiency is promoted through use of low flow water fixtures resulting in a 30% reduction in domestic water consumption.
§ Laboratory equipment such as PIAB units eliminate aspirators, central vacuum pump units and piping.
§ Building chilled water loop provides process cooling for labs so no water is wasted down the drain.
§ High performance envelope with high efficiency heat pipe recovery systems, high efficiency fume hoods which use 50% less air versus conventional fumehoods, all contribute to an overall 38% energy cost savings above Model Energy Code
(from the SFU Campus Planning Website)
TASC 2 is located beside TASC 1 at the south of the campus in the South Science precinct.
TASC 2 south elevation.
TASC 2 price tag. Nice of the Province to put up a sign taking credit for a measly 4% of the project.
TASC 2 main entrance. For TASC 2, like all new SFU buildings, passive solar design and sunshades are integral to each building’s architecture.
TASC 2 entrance atrium solar shade detail.
TASC 2 atrium and main stairwell.
The hallways are very plain and institutional looking and several require key-card access so I didn’t bother taking any photos. These are the stairs to the aerial walkway that connects TASC 2 to the South Sciences building.
Arts and Social Science Complex 1 | ASSC 1
Pronounced “ask”, ASSC 1 is the western half of a two-phase project that represents the largest new classroom addition to SFU that is currently under way.
The 7,500 square metre / 24,600 square foot $34.1 million building will house a new forensic centre for training and research as well as the archaeology and criminology departments and First Nations studies.
Green Building Features:
· The building has over 50% green roof which further insulates the building and reduces heat loss, while acting to detain rainwater rate and flow.
· The U-shaped courtyard design maximizes day-lighting as well as increases the number of work areas with views.
· Energy efficient lighting includes electronic ballasts, use of day-lighting strategies and room occupancy controls.
· Heating and cooling is provided by radiant ceiling panels in classrooms and labs, with hydronic baseboard radiators elsewhere. Under-floor air systems are included in the 300 seat lecture theatre and atrium space.
· Heat recovery systems capture waste heat in exhaust air prior to release.
· Operable windows throughout provide natural ventilation.
(from the SFU Campus Planning Website)
ASSC 1 is located beside the Education building at the Northeast corner of the campus. Unfortunately SFU’s illustrated map has not been updated to show the ASSC 1 and ASSC 2 buildings. These buildings were built on what was previously a parking lot.
The south elevation of ASSC 1. The building on the left is the administration building Strand Hall, and the Northeast corner of the Academic Quadrangle is in the centre of the photo.
ASSC 1 solar shade detail with the Academic Quadrangle reflected in the glazing.
The south elevation of ASSC 1 is fully glazed but a combination of solar shades and frosted glass keep the hot sun from heating up the hallway and atrium while allowing plenty of natural light in. Both ASSC 1 and ASSC 2 were built to the LEED Gold green building standard.
ASSC 1 south hallway looking west towards the new ASSC 1 atrium and the Academic Quadrangle. One can see the success of the solar shades and frosted glass at severely limiting the amount of direct sun that reaches the hallway while in no way limiting the amount of natural light.
ASSC 1 Atrium. This space is adjacent to the SFU Anthropology museum and Centre for First Nations Studies. The atrium was designed to be a functional performing arts space capable of hosting small events and informal gatherings. Directly beneath the Academic Quadrangle (AQ) is series of large concourses with about a dozen lecture theatres, a cafeteria, and indoor connections to the south Science precinct, the southeast Applied Science precinct, the northern Education building, the northwestern Robert C. Brown classroom precinct (home to Linguistics, French, Geography, and Psychology), and exits to covered breezeways connecting to the Library, Convocation Mall, West Mall Complex and Sports complex. Basically the below-grade concourses of the AQ are the hub of the school and the new ASSC 1 & 2 complex connects directly into this circulation system via the atrium.
ASSC 1’s unfinished courtyard with ASSC 2 being finished up across the way.
ASSC 1 is the new home of the SFU School of Criminology and it will house Canada’s most advanced forensics lab that will be used both for teaching and as a resource for law enforcement.
ASSC 1 western elevation. Operable frosted glass windows and frosted glass vertical solar shades are the passive solar features of this portion of the building. The aerial walkway connects the two halves of the ASSC 1 building and allow maintenance vehicles to access Strand Hall.
Arts and Social Science Complex 2 | ASSC 2
Pronounced “ask”, ASSC 2 is the eastern half of a two-phase project that represents the largest new classroom addition to SFU that is currently under way.
For some reason SFU’s Campus Planning website doesn’t seem to have ASSC 2 listed so I don’t know how large it is. I would presume it has the same green features as ASSC 1 since they are simply two phases of the same building.
ASSC 2 is located beside the ASSC 1 building at the northeast corner of the campus. Once again, SFU’s illustrated map has not been updated to show ASSC 2.
ASSC 2 is connected to the south hallway of ASSC 1. Like ASSC 1, ASSC 2 was designed with extensive passive solar design and makes extensive use of solar shades. The upper floor has a cantilevered concrete sun shade while the lower floor uses the same type of solar shade and frosted glass as ASSC 1.
ASSC 2 southeast elevation and entrance. The finishing touches and landscaping are being done on the exterior of the building while the interior is being fitted out for a January 2008 opening.
ASSC 2 entrance by the bus loop. The price tag sign reads $57.6 million of which $34.5 million was picked up by the Province. With the $34.1 million ASSC 1 the whole complex cost $91.7 million dollars.
ASSC 2 eastern elevation. Frosted windows, solar shades, and shade trees are all part of the building’s passive solar design.
ASSC 2 northeast elevation. Since it is on the north side of the building solar shading is unnecessary and larger windows are used. Staff offices are on the north side of the building, continuing the school’s tradition of offering as many staff as possible the phenomenal views Burnaby Mountain has to offer.
Rebuilt ASSC 1 / Academic Quadrangle courtyard as seen from the ASSC 1 south walkway.
Well that’s it for the four new academic buildings. The fifth new building is the expansion of Chancellor’s Gymnasium.
Chancellor’s Gym Expansion
The Chancellor’s Gym Expansion is in the western part of the campus in the sports precinct.
The 12,200 square metre \ 40,000 square foot gymnasium expansion at Simon Fraser University includes a gym with large spectator seating areas and a two-level fitness centre. The mechanical heating, cooling and ventilation systems for the new building were designed to maximize flexibility, occupant comfort and energy efficiency. The project was constructed in two phases: Phase 1 included the spectator performance auditorium and sports program space; Phase 2 features a 12,000 square foot fitness centre aimed at becoming the premier university fitness club in Western Canada.
Green building features:
Thermal conditions in the occupied spaces are controlled by the radiant heating and cooling floor slabs, leading to improved occupant thermal comfort. Heating energy for this system is supplied by the University's central plant. The University mandates that no mechanical (refrigeration cycle) cooling be used on campus where possible, so nighttime "free" cooling energy is provided by a closed-loop evaporative fluid cooler on the roof of the new building. This fluid cooler will discharge heat absorbed by the building's mass during the daytime to the cooler nighttime outdoor air. During peak cooling season, or in advance of a scheduled high-occupancy event, the building can be pre- or even sub-cooled. Extensive energy modeling (mostly using TAS) was required to ensure that the radiant slabs would be effective despite the variety of floor coverings used in the space.
Superior ventilation effectiveness is achieved through the use of a displacement ventilation system, which supplies 100% outdoor air to the space at low level and low velocity. All air-handlers are equipped with variable speed drives (VSDs) and controlled by CO2 sensors to allow maximum flexibility based on varying occupancy conditions. The reduction of air volumes (by eliminating air-based heating and cooling and through the VSDs during low-occupancy) greatly reduces energy use and noise. Outdoor air is distributed to the main air-handlers through a central air-to-air heat recovery unit with a heat pipe, further improving energy efficiency.
Substantial energy savings are achieved through the combination of the following strategies:
· Effective use of thermal mass combined with radiant slab heating/cooling
· Building envelope that optimizes daylighting while minimizing solar gain
· Provision of cooling without mechanical refrigeration
(from the SFU Campus Planning website)
(from left to right) Chancellor’s Gym Expansion, Terry Fox Gymnasium complex, SFU pool complex.
The new gym has a very large southern exposure and passive solar design was integral to the architecture of the new building. Solar shades are both functional and aesthetically pleasing, in my opinion.
New Residence Towers
In addition to the academic and sports buildings, SFU built three new residence buildings and the final one was completed last year. They are located on the west side of the campus in the residences precinct.
There is nothing about the buildings on the SFU Campus Planning website so I don’t know their area, cost, or capacity. However I seem to recall hearing each building has 150 co-ed dorms for a total of 450 between the three towers.
The new Residence Towers. They are located near the townhouse complex, family housing (with the playground) and other apartment-style residences of varying age.
Another view of the new rez towers. I’m assuming that giant moving truck is institutional and not some rich kid’s stuff. One of the towers has a small hotel on the upper floors for visiting faculty, conference guests, etc.
Well that’s it for now. I took a lot of photos of the campus on the beautiful Wednesday we had this week and I'll post them in the coming days. It’s my last semester at SFU and I wanted to record the genuine beauty of the campus on a bright fall day before the rains come and I miss my chance. I wrap up my studies this fall and formally graduate next spring. I’ve completed concurrent double bachelor’s degrees in History and Political Science with a minor in Human Geography and a certificate in Urban Studies. Next stop, Urban Planning School graduate school.
(All photos taken by me | SFUVancouver in SSP & Vancouverite in SSC)