UWF School of Science and Engineering

The School of Science and Engineering at University of West Florida has become the “face” of the University’s print media. This four-story facility, completed in December of 2009, was designed to meet LEED Silver certification, but has actually met LEED Gold certification. Among the building’s features are classrooms designed for a global, technological society, with prototype robot fabrication and testing laboratories, laser and nano technology labs, the world’s largest 3D virtual reality simulator or “Holodeck”, and a glass-clad four-story Atrium that will place science on public display. The south stairwell is designed to receive photovoltaic glass panels which will produce 3,906 watts to power a robot that will give tours of the facility.

This overall 94,000 sf. facility is two structures, one round (the “Drum”) and one rectangular (the “Bar”), connected by a four-story glass atrium. It was constructed with a poured in place concrete frame and a post-tensioned cable system for the Drum building. Both structures are supported on 368 aggregate piers. The exterior cladding skin is brick and cast stone. The Atrium is constructed with a steel frame and clad with a glass curtainwall system which provides daylight throughout the space. In addition, non-volatile paints, coatings, flooring and wood have been utilized and over 20% of the materials incorporated in the building have a recycled content value.

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