University of Alberta buildings to serve as a ‘living lab’ for a study on whether HVAC systems can help viruses spread, and how to improve filtration to prevent it.
Five-story, 126,000-square-foot, LEED Gold building features numerous structural and mechanical innovations, including a thermally activated, bubble-deck slab, providing radiant cooling, as well as radiant heating on six levels.
Designers overcame numerous challenges to complete the $104.5 million Pioneer Hall expansion and renovation project in time for the start of the fall 2019 semester.
Pioneer Hall, one of four residence halls located within the University of Minnesota’s Superblock residential district, is prominently situated on the east bank of the Mississippi River on the university’s Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis.
Working with University of California Irvine Beall Applied Innovation, faculty members from The Henry Samueli School of Engineering and the Claire Trevor School of the Arts designed a face shield and assembled and tested prototypes within six days.