Updates
September, 2010
South wing interior renovations are near completion with some work still required to complete the basement. Third to first floor and approximately half of the basement are currently occupied. All moves are complete except for contents which are slated for the remainder of the basement (currently being completed).
The mechanical addition shell is completed except for minor deficiencies which are currently being resolved. The interior renovations in the north wing are complete, except for minor deficiencies which are currently being resolved. All spaces have been turned over to the University for use.
The lecture theatres were completed by September 9th for the start of the fall semester. Minor deficiencies remain and will need to be scheduled for completion. The new front lobby and re-cladding work are all currently underway. The new front lobby (barrier-free) is on schedule to be completed by November and the re-cladding will be ongoing until Feb/ Mar 2011 .
Priority will now be given to completion of deficiencies in the north/south wings, mechanical addition and the lecture theatres, construction of new front lobby and installation of the cladding.
Previous Updates
- Ontario Ministry of Training, College and Universities KIP Website
- Federal, Provincial Governments, U of G Celebrate Groundbreaking
- U of G Gets $33.6 Million for Environmental Hub
Axelrod Building Renovation
The University of Guelph is overhauling a fifty-year-old major building to create a cutting-edge environmental teaching and research centre, thanks to a $33.6-million investment from the federal and provincial governments.
The project involves the retrofitting and renovation of the Axelrod Building to serve as the University’s environmental science teaching and research centre. The revamped building will be the home for faculty and students in the newly formed School of Environmental Sciences and related programs of the Ontario Agricultural College, as well as water research conducted by the School of Engineering in collaboration with the School of Environmental Sciences. These programs are currently housed in a variety of locations on campus, including temporary buildings and another older campus building in need of a major retrofit.
The temporary buildings will be demolished as part of this project. The retrofit will reduce the University’s deferred-maintenance costs and significantly improve energy efficiency and sustainability as the building will be "re-skinned" to provide insulation, a vapour barrier and a ‘new face’ for the building; all mechanical systems will be updated and the original single pane windows and doors will be replaced with new energy efficient models. The original 1957 wing of the building has no insulation and insulation existing in the 1974, 1984 and 1989 additions are minimal by today’s standards.
The project will provide barrier free access to and within the building for the first time. The project will also enable the University to leverage additional research funds and support from other agencies and the private sector.
As well, this project will enable U of G to meet its planned increase in graduate enrolment in the School of Environmental Sciences. This planned increase is part of the University’s response to the provincial government’s graduate expansion initiative.
The project will provide significant short-term economic stimulus to the region by creating approximately 670 jobs in the architectural/construction industry and the indirect economic impact for the provincial economy is estimated at $72.3 million over the life of the project.
Construction
Building Floor Plans
Groundbreaking for the Axelrod Building Renovation Project
