Changes coming for ExCEL building

When the Engineering Centre for Experiential Learning initiative reached its initial $8.5 million goal last fall, both Engineering students and faculty were excited. ExCEL was designed as an outlet for students to study, solve problems, and observe real-world applications of class material. Not only was the building proposed to contain a variety of workshop and study spaces, it was all designed to be eco-friendly. In short, the initiative is an engineer’s paradise.

At the recent McMaster Engineering Society Semi-Annual General Meeting it was announced that the Faculty of  Engineering was contributing another $2.5 million to the project, bringing the total cost to $11 million.

“They aren’t taking previous student space,” explained Ryan Rogers, the MES VP of External Affairs. “They’re adding new space for themselves.”

Rogers also explained that the Faculty and the MES are in the process of drafting agreements to ensure the Faculty only gets the space it has paid for, and he confirmed that the faculty being added to the building are student services who interact with the entire engineering student body.

But every paradise has its problems, and ExCEL is no exception. Former Dean of Engineering David Wilkinson’s original building proposal of 22,000 square feet was recently deemed unfeasible.

“Unfortunately no one gave him better advice on what the ‘all-in’ costs were... for example he wasn’t including building permits,” said Kelton Friedrich, the liaison between the McMaster community and design consultants.

Friedrich said the most recent drawings show the building to have a total area of 23,000 square feet, approximately 17,000 of which belong to students.

“Unfortunately the net square footage is not as much as we wanted. For example, nobody ever planned for having a big mechanical room in the basement, so that costs money to build,” he said.

Friedrich projected the final design will be between 21,000 and 25,000 square feet.

This diminished amount of student space has angered some engineering students. When the initiative was first proposed three years ago, the MES had a referendum on whether or not to begin collecting a $50 fee from students to contribute to the building costs. This was before any design plans were released, and some students feel cheated because the Faculty began collecting this levy before any of the building’s details were set in stone.

The details are still not confirmed. According to Rogers, the schematic design phase of the project extends into December of this year, after which point the size and layout of the building will be finalized. Design development will be complete by the end of March. Contractors will have final blueprints by October 2015, and a year from now construction is set to begin. Rogers said that the project is on schedule.

“The goal of the building has always stayed the same... and that is to support students through experiential learning,” said Friedrich.

He maintained that ExCEL will focus on dynamic, active learning environments where students can share their ideas and work collaboratively, and even between different engineering departments.

Rogers was also adamant that the reduced space will not affect the building’s potential to house student innovation.

“All each floor is lacking is 500 square feet,” he said.

In order to add that relatively small amount of space, the array of environmentally friendly features would be compromised.

Friedrich was adamant that the changes to the building’s size will not reduce the features designed to give engineering students a better understanding of how the building works, such as plexi-glass floors in places so the building’s foundations are visible.

Since the project is still in a phase where elements can be changed, Rogers confirmed that the MES welcomes any student concerns.

“We’re their eyes and ears on the building board and we want to ensure that the building reflects their goals and aspirations for the project.”