A big year with big projects
Facilities Management oversees all aspects of the university’s physical environment, including a wide range of functions and support services to meet the needs of a thriving Concordia community. By providing a sustainable, flexible and innovative physical environment to foster learning research and service, the team strives to provide an exemplary client experience.
‘’Facilities Management is responsible for 65 buildings on both Sir Georges Williams and Loyola campuses. We are in charge of renovation and construction projects for future growth and development as well as maintenance and repairs to optimize operations,” says Marie-Claude Lavoie, associate vice-president of Facilities Management.
The Applied Science Hub and other active projects
In 2018-19, the department oversaw about 80 active projects and was closely involved with the construction of the ambitious new Applied Science Hub at Loyola. The hub, an expansion of the Richard J. Renaud Science Complex at Loyola, will be used for research activities with strong commercial potential with Concordia’s current and future industrial partners.
With an expected delivery in 2020, Concordia is aiming for LEED gold certification, which would make it the university’s fourth high-performance green building.
Facilities Management is seeking to optimize the hub’s energy performance, despite it being a highly technological building with almost 100 chemical hoods and limited space. It is also aiming for the project to have reduced water consumption and offer much natural light and excellent air quality.
The surrounding green space will increase the area’s biomass, and the site will include electric terminals for cars and parking spaces for bicycles and carpooling. “As a university, we have an important role to play in respecting the environment,’’ Lavoie says.
Other Facilities Management highlights in 2018-19 included the first phase of the Student Success Centre on Henry F. Hall Building’s 7th floor and the centralized infrastructure renewal in the Loyola Jesuit Hall and Conference Centre.
In November 2018, the university opened the innovative, evolving and collaborative 4TH SPACE. With its high visibility in the J.W. McConnell Building, its mission is to showcase the many research activities of both faculty and students, in line with Concordia’s next-generation vision.
We are in charge of renovation and construction projects for future growth and development as well as maintenance and repairs to optimize operations.
The Chemical and Materials Engineering labs were completed in September 2018 on the Hall Building’s 14th floor and now serve faculty researchers from the newly launched Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering.
Moreover, Facilities Management completed the restoration of the Grey Nuns’ chapel façade, masonry and rose windows, as well the stabilization of its bell tower. This project was supported by the National Cost Sharing Program for Heritage Places. The restoration work involved maintaining the building’s original appearance and historical components as part of Concordia’s architectural landscape.
Facilities Management also worked closely with several of the university’s services sector. Concordia’s Security and property management services, which had offices scattered throughout several floors in the Hall and Guy-De Maisonneuve buildings, moved into their new home on the Hall Building’s 3rd floor. The premises include an emergency control centre and a video wall with many surveillance screens.
The Learning Square
Concordia took an innovative approach to classroom space during the Hall Building renovations as it began work on the Learning Square, a particular point of pride for Facilities Management. “This will minimize disruption to the student experience,” Lavoie says.
The modular facility, located on De Maisonneuve Boulevard, can accommodate about 650 students in its eight large, state-of-the-art classrooms. It also includes a gender-neutral washroom —Concordia’s largest — which is equipped for those with special mobility needs.
“The Learning Square is a creative solution that hits the mark on many fronts,” Lavoie says. “It facilitates the continued delivery of the academic mission and values long-term, sustainable options. It will be in use for four to five years, after which it will be repurposed at Loyola Campus to support further renovation projects.”
