On September 10, representatives from SmithGroup, the architecture firm that is designing the new ECE building, presented a first look at preliminary images of the proposed new building. The renderings are the result of months of work with the ECE Building Committee and the University. Recently the firm had completed the blocking procedure of trying to determine where the various elements could fit.
Lead architect David King noted that not all of the showpieces for the department were able to fit on the first floor. However, the Instructional Fabrication Lab and labs for ECE 110: Introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering will be on the first floor, and they will have windows to allow visitors to observe the activities in these exciting labs.
The design envisions a three-story structure and a five-story structure joined by an atrium. The building will contain a 450-seat auditorium for large classes and presentations. There are plans for a green roof and a large array of photovoltaic cells to help power the building. A chilled beam system provides cooling and heating for the taller structure.
Numerous other innovations will be included to make the building as energy efficient as possible. The goal is to achieve near-zero net energy consumption.