Sustainability has become a key consideration throughout our society, resulting in a growing demand for engineers with expertise in sustainable practices. To respond to emerging needs in areas such as heritage conservation and sustainable building design, Carleton recently introduced an all-new program in Architectural Conservation and Sustainability Engineering.
The innovative program teaches students a modern approach for the design and retrofit of buildings, employing sustainability as a guiding principle and emphasizing the respect of architectural history and significance. Students also learn to consider the life-cycle costs and environmental impacts of building materials, energy demand, and the effective reuse and conservation of existing structures.
New for 2016, graduate students specializing in engineering and architectural conservation will be participating in the final round of a specialized Design Build Competition put on by the Association for Preservation Technology International (APTI). The competition challenges intercollegiate teams to design and build a timber bridge using historic materials and methods of assembly, providing students with the opportunity to experience preservation from conception and design to construction, testing, and conservation planning.
“This is an exceptional opportunity to expose students to areas of structural engineering, architecture, rehabilitation, and timber design,” says Prof. Jeffrey Erochko, who is supervising Carleton’s team. “The experiences that students will gain from this project will certainly serve them well in the future and will also help to further establish Carleton as an international centre of learning and research in the preservation and protection of historic structures.”
Carleton’s team consists of eight graduate engineering and architecture students and is the only Canadian team that has been chosen to be one of the three finalists who will present and test their design at the annual APTI Conference, which runs from October 30 to November 2, 2016 in San Antonio Texas.
In order to meet competition requirements, each team must raise $5,000 to assist with travel and material costs, as well as shipping the bridge to the conference. To learn more and provide your support, please visit: futurefunder.carleton.ca/project/apti-preservation-engineering-design-build-competition
Hands on learning is a key component of a successful engineering degree. Students in the Architectural Conservation and Sustainability program at Carleton can take advantage of many learning opportunities outside the classroom. Field trips, competitions, and mentorship opportunities are all available at the undergraduate level.
