Multi-million dollar construction underway at WPI
by Neil Norum - Director, WPI News-Service
Construction projects valued at more than $13.5 million are underway or planned in the next 12-14 months on the Worcester Polytechnic Institute campus and will mean an improved physical environment for the entire WPI community says John Miller, director of physical plant. "This is the most construction we've had going on at one time ever at WPI," says Miller. The previous high point of construction took place in the mid-1980s with the construction of Founders Hall and Omniturf installation on Alumni Field.
Higgins Laboratory
The largest of the projects is a long-awaited expansion and renovation of Higgins Laboratories, a 50-year old building and home of the mechanical engineering department. This $8.5 million project began in the spring of 1994 and includes some 18,500 additional square feet of space, primarily in a new addition. The addition, expected to be completed by Thanksgiving, will house numerous new laboratories. The laboratories are geometric modeling, dynamic simulation, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, vibration/controls/dynamics, biomechanics- biofluids-biodynamics-biomaterials complex, discovery classroom, Product REALIZATION, design, supersonic wind tunnel, and fire sciences.
"There will also be two project laboratories where students will be able to work on their MQP projects," says Professor Mohammed Noori, Mechanical Engineering Department head. "Presently, there is no dedicated space for students to work on their MQP and design projects. Although, on average, we have ME students complete 45 projects per year, there's been no available space. This lab will complement our project-based educational program and is long overdue."
A graduate student computer laboratory area will be located on the second floor and a modern graduate student area with 40 office spaces and two conference rooms will be on the top floor of the new addition.
The project will also mean the complete renovation of the original laboratories. "There's been some inconvenience with the moving of classrooms and laboratories during the fall term," says Noori, "but it's worth it for the fine facility we will have." Several offices were relocated, including the mechanical engineering offices, moved to two 60-foot long trailers while the renovation is underway.
Foundations, individuals, and class gifts have raised $7.1 million of the funding as of October. These include the Alden, Keck, Lufkin and Stoddard Foundations, and gifts from the classes of 1943, 1944, 1954 and 1969. A $800,000 grant from the National Science Foundation Academic Research Infrastructure Program for the renovation of three major laboratory facilities, the thermal process/fluid mechanics, vibrations/controls/dynamics, and the biomechanics/rehabilitation complex, is the largest NSF funding ever received by WPI. "This renovation will significantly enhance the quality of research and research training in these areas," says Noori.
W.M. Keck's $425,000 award to establish a new design center is central to WPI's planned reform of mechanical engineering education to incorporate design and manufacturing throughout the curriculum, says Noori. "The center will be an information integrated laboratory complex that will include a discovery classroom, dynamic simulation laboratory, geometric modeling laboratory and design studio," he notes. "It will provide the critical physical facility where students will simulate and perform design and manufacturing activities through discovery-based learning experiences." Each laboratory will offer state-of-the-art equipment and support for advanced manufacturing and design inquiry.
"Design and manufacturing are critical elements of all engineering disciplines," continues Noori. The success of the education reform will be based on the hands-on learning experience in which students become involved in the complete range of activities in product development. The Product REALIZATION Consortium mandates that the traditional emphasis on the processing of physical materials and assembly of components be augmented by sound designs that are analyzed before implementation; teamwork spanning the spectrum from product conceptualization through realization; and accessing, processing and managing extraordinarily large amounts of geographically-dispersed information associated with each project.
Energy Conservation Program
A $2.25 million energy conservation project is underway that will save more than $275,000 annually in campus energy and maintenance costs. The work includes the retrofiting of more than 10,000 light fixtures with energy-saving ballasts and lamps, the installation of more efficient motors, energy management system additions, water chiller upgrades, and other energy control strategies.
Residence Hall Networking
"Over the summer, a tremendous effort by many WPI employees, and contractors Coghlin Electric and NYNEX, resulted in a major $975,000 upgrade of the WPI telephone and data system, extending that system into all on-campus residence rooms," says Miller. In addition, cable TV was also provided to all rooms. "This extensive program brings computer connectivity to all students who elect that service," Miller says.
A number of annual projects are also underway around the campus with a budget of $1.9 million. Some of the major projects include:
Goddard Hall Ventilation
Goddard Hall's ventilation system is undergoing a complete renovation at a cost of $720,000. The project objective is to reduce the extreme negative pressure in the building. "Anyone who has tried to enter the building can attest to the resistance at the entrance and hear the pressure difference," says Miller.
The project includes the replacement of three central air handling units, replacement of 35 unit ventilators and two condensate return pumps. In addition, all of the chemical fume hoods will be equipped with variable speed drives, which will allow for reduced building air flow when hoods are closed when not in use. As the demand for ventilation through these nearly 50 hoods is reduced, the air flow through the building will be reduced with resulting reductions in both heating and electrical energy consumption.
Freeman Plaza Renovation
After construction delays, a complete renovation of Freeman Plaza was nearing completion in October. A lot of the original 1970's concrete surface was deteriorating from years of vehicle traffic. And asphalt patches had been placed over repairs to underground piping. Originally conceived as a pedestrian mall, issues of accessibility had become a factor and regulation changes meant that slopes and inclines were no longer in compliance.
"The excavation was slowed by previously unrecorded steam mains and electrical duct banks," says Miller. "We found two earlier generations of steam mains, not shown on plans, but which we had to get by to install a new and larger capacity fire protection/water main." The sidewalks and roadways around Boynton Hall and Washburn Labs also were replaced.
"We hope this revitalized center of the campus will provide an attractive, vehicle free, focal point and meeting place for the WPI community and visitors, Miller said in summing up the project.
Higgins House
Extensive renovation is underway at the Higgins House that will continue over a two-year period. This past summer, the beams, wood tracery, and stucco was restored. The restoration included epoxy replacement and repair of rotted timbers, wood trim, and stucco painting. In addition, many stone features which had deteriorated beyond the point of recognition, were remanufactured from molds stored in the attic. Also, some sections of the garden wall had a new capstone added. These restorations will continue next summer on the garage complex.
Miscellaneous Projects
A number of other projects began around campus this past summer. The retaining wall and external stairway of the library was restored, as was sections of the Daniels Hall parapet. In the Alumni Gym, a large section of the old lockers were replaced with new vandal-resistant units. Video display equipment in Perreault Lecture Hall was upgraded with new equipment, and Newell Hall in Atwater Kent was prepared to accept video display equipment. The tower and woodwork of Washburn was restored and repainted, and the clock face of Boynton received an uplifting. In Harrington Auditorium, the drapes were replaced, and a new fire detection system was installed. New windows to provide lower maintenance and higher levels of security will be installed in the spring for the Ellsworth Fuller complex.
Sanford Riley Hall
Lastly, planning is proceeding for a renovation of Sanford Riley's exterior, as well as new windows, and an interior renovation which will include the placement of the Admissions Office and the Career Development Center on the first floor. Should all proceed as planned, the college may be soliciting bids on this $4 million-plus project as early as January, says Miller.
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