University of Calgary
Current Initiatives
Meet the University of Calgary -
Ambitious. Energetic. In the midst of its largest ever capital expansion. The U of C is building on its momentum with an ambitious commitment to add 7,000 new students by 2010.
"Our growth will have a lasting impact on each and every student at the U of C," says University president Dr. Harvey Weingarten. "This bold plan will redefine the university of the future."
ISEEE
The Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy (ISEEE) integrates multidisciplinary, mission-focused research, education, and innovation to ensure Albertans continue to have competitive energy supplies, a clean environment, and a strong economy. The $283- million project will create spaces for an additional 1,000 students in high-demand programs related to energy and environment, and will add 58,000 square metres of research space, 100 new faculty, and at least 25 new research chairs.
Energy, Environment and
Experiential Learning Building
Construction has begun for the new Energy, Environment and Experiential Learning building. The facility will house 33 biology, chemistry, geoscience and Schulich School of Engineering labs, a 200-seat theatre, classrooms sized for 20 to 120 students, small and large breakout rooms and social spaces. Bringing people together is the driving force behind the $300-million Experiential Learning Centre, which will improve and expand access to science laboratories, and revolutionize the way students learn at the University of Calgary. ELC will be a state-of-the-art facility that will enhance the quality of the learning experience for students in science and science-related courses. It will encourage student-centred, enquiry-based learning, and promote multidisciplinary enquiry. To be constructed in two phases, ELC will provide for increased capacity for students in the faculties of Science, Social Sciences and Kinesiology, and in programs for which these faculties provide service teaching, including engineering, nursing, veterinary medicine and medicine. The centre will include construction of new space as well as the redevelopment of existing laboratories.
Downtown Campus
The University of Calgary has finalized the site of its new Downtown Campus, located at 906 8th Avenue S.W. The space, which will be gutted and renovated, will be funded and operated within a special funding envelope provided by the province of Alberta. The building provides 127,000 square feet of flexible space. The campus will welcome its first students in September 2010. One in five University of Calgary students will have an opportunity to study downtown over the course of their degree at the University's Downtown Campus. The new site will significantly expand the University's capacity to offer students experiential learning opportunities, particularly in the area of community service learning, which connects students directly with local businesses and non-profit organizations. Final decisions on which programs will be located in the Downtown Campus will be made early this year.
Taylor Family Digital Library
The Taylor Family Digital Library (TFDL) is being designed for the 21-century scholar. More than a building with books, it's a place to learn, to study, to talk, to work together, to research, and to get help with learning and research. The major structural concrete work on the 6-storey 265,000 square foot library was completed in April 2009. A full-time crew of over 120 skilled men and women have placed over 10,000 m3 of concrete and 1.3 million kgs of reinforcing steel, giving the TFDL's concrete structure a total mass of well over 26 thousand metric tonnes of concrete and steel. The next visible phases of construction will be the installation of the plus-15 structure between the MacKimmie Link and the new building and the erection of steel on the west side that will form the two-storey Learning Commons area.
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
The faculty of Veterinary Medicine has a new Clinical Skills Building on the Spy Hill Campus . This 80,000 square foot, state-of-the-art building is where veterinary students are learning important hands-on skills. The first class of U of C vet med students began studies this fall.
West Campus
In 1995, the university received approximately 74 hectares of land west of the main campus from the province for future expansion. Also home to the new Alberta Children's Hospital and Ronald McDonald House, plans are underway to initiate mixed-use development on the site, including a wide range of housing types, commercial, retail, cultural, and recreational development. With visioning complete, the master planning process is underway. Completion scheduled for 2012.
Cogeneration Facility
The University of Calgary is converting its central heating and cooling plant into a cogeneration facility that will cut CO2 emissions by 80,000 tonnes annually, far below both national and global standards. The conversion, expected to be completed by October 2011, will reduce CO2 emissions by about 50 percent from today’s levels—37 percent less than Canada’s Kyoto commitment of six percent below a 1990 baseline and exceeding Alberta Environment standards for natural gas-fueled power generation.
SU Wellness Centre
The Students' Union (SU) Wellness Centre gives students quicker access to health care and a wider range of services to choose from. The centre provides a unique combination of services integrating University Health Services, the Counselling Centre and the Chaplain's Centre, and includes the addition of dental services. The capacity for health services doubles with the addition of 135 square metres of space, the equivalent of two more full-time general practitioners, four more exam rooms, and increased massage and chiropractic service and capacity.
Dr.
Fok Ying Tung
International House
A new student residence facility at the University of Calgary will provide affordable accommodation for 596 students and is part of the university's ongoing redevelopment of its student housing supply. The U of C's new residence project will create new meeting and living space for business leaders, scholars, students and international visitors. It is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2009.
Hotel Alma
Opening September 2009 in support of Global Village is Hotel Alma. Hotel Alma is the University of Calgary's first on- campus hotel, providing 85 euro-style standard rooms, 15 one-bedroom suites, 5 boardroom style meeting rooms and one large conference room which will host up to 125 people. Rooms include high-end comforts and large wall-mounted flat screen televisions. Guests have access to private laundry rooms, lounges and meeting rooms. In addition, the hotel will operate its own Bistro and Gift Shop. Hotel Alma will welcome visitors from the campus community and beyond. Hotel Alma will be accepting reservations and conference room bookings beginning the middle of July.
New Student Residence
Construction has now begun on a significant new student residence facility at the University of Calgary. The new residence will provide safe and affordable accommodation for 596 students and is part of the university's ongoing redevelopment of its student housing supply. The new building is projected to be complete by the spring of 2011 and will meet the growing demand for housing for second and third-year undergraduates.