EDITH Cowan University Joondalup has awarded a $31 million contract for a new sustainable computing, technology and engineering building to the Doric Group.
ECU planning and development manager Ron Hewitt said Doric was shortlisted for the project largely because of the success of the award-winning library the company built for the university in 2006.
“The library was not only a successful construction project, the relationship and communications with the Doric on-site personnel was excellent and made a significant contribution to both the project and the university,” he said.
Doric chief executive Peter Iancov said their commitment to delivering quality construction was underpinned by a strong relationship with ECU.
Construction on the new building, which will house the Electron Science Research Institute and facilities for ECU engineering, computer and security science, started late last month. It is scheduled to be completed by September next year.
Designed to meet ECU’s sustainability objectives, the project will deliver an 8000sqm three-storey concrete structure with mezzanine floors and a $2.6 million internal fit-out.
A purpose-built aluminium sunshade system worth $1.7 million will cover each side of the structure to reduce solar glare and lessen the cost of cooling the building.
The new building will house teaching spaces, laboratories for civil and mechanical engineering, research areas for staff and students and a rooftop platform for solar and wind energy experiments.