Super commissioning job nears completion for Building 7
9 December 2014
Staff and HDR students from the Faculty of Science and Graduate School of Health are not the only ones making our new Building 7 home.
The Super Lab, one of UTS’s super new teaching spaces based in the belly of Building 7, has become a second home to many AVS and ITD staff over the past few months. Following UTS taking possession of the building in October, AVS and ITD commenced the complex task of commissioning and testing all the technical equipment throughout the building; the majority of which is confined to the Super Lab on level 1.
Featuring 220 touch-screen PCs across 26 workbenches that are all connected to each other with wireless audio (allowing up to 12 separate sessions to run simultaneously), Rob Hardy, senior project manager in Audio Visual Services (AVS), says it’s the sheer scale of the Lab that has made the commissioning of the space so complex.
“Everything we do to the computers, for instance, needs to be multiplied by 220,” says Hardy.
“Suddenly, cable management on the workstations and updating a program is a massive, time-consuming task.
“We spent a great deal of time prototyping the programming and wireless streaming technology (for both audio and visual) to be used in the space using 10 computers early on in the project and solved a lot of problems. But when we got into the Lab we had to multiply everything by 200 and we came across things we weren’t even aware of.
“We’d then find that fixing one thing would lead to another issue. It’s been challenging for the team but so rewarding to work through the problems and find solutions. The next test will be actually having people in the space, running classes. But this is, after all, what it was built for and we can’t wait.”
Another challenge as far as the Super Lab’s technical requirements and commissioning is concerned is the use of a wireless, two-way audio system.
“There was a strong requirement to have wireless, or streaming, vision and a wireless audio solution,” explains Hardy, adding this will enable collaboration and movement within the space while ensuring audio levels are kept at optimum levels for a learning environment.
“But we’re the first university to have a completely wireless communication platform, so that has thrown up a lot of challenges.”
TIME FOR TRAINING
Hardy says he has enjoyed showing academics from the Faculty of Science through the Super Lab over the past few weeks and is looking forward to the formal training program commencing.
AVS’s Client Services team will run technical training for staff who will be using the AV in the new teaching spaces, including the Super Lab, in January next year.
“By this time we are anticipating the building will be fully-commissioned”, says Hardy.
“We have a few more things to work on in the Super Lab, mainly with the wireless audio transmission, but we’re feeling really good about everything and are aiming to have it ready for people to start using in about a month.”
Training for technical support staff who will be based in the Super Lab will take place in mid-January, with ‘demonstrator’ training being held in early February followed by academic training prior to the start of Semester 1, 2015.
Staff with questions or concerns are asked to contact AVS Client Services Manager, Kathy Grattan on ext. 1111.
REMINDER: STAFF AND VISITOR ACCESS
To allow the final work on the building to be completed efficiently and safely, staff are reminded that only the Faculty of Science and Graduate School of Health have access at this time, using their new staff/student cards.
There is no public or general access until the start of teaching in Semester 1, 2015. For a sneak peak of the building’s amazing interiors, check out this video.
UTS's new Science and Graduate School of Health Building has created a state-of-the-art science and health precinct in the heart of the City Campus. You will be able to experience the building for yourself at the start of Semester 1, 2015. For now, get a sneak peek of the building's striking architecture and cutting edge facilities in this short teaser!
[instrumental music plays]
Opening imagery of central stairwell. Curved walls with mosaic-tiles and large circular skylights.
Feature lighting in lecture-theatre. Light shades made from conical beakers, with walls, ceilings, carpet and seating all bright green colour.
Level 2 hallway below ground. Classrooms on left and stairwell on right leading to level 1. Large wall on right, curved, organic surface, covered in mosaic tiles from level 1 up to ceiling on ground level 3. Angular, concrete ceilings and cylindrical skylights let natural light into stair and hallway.
Superlab, several rows of identical computer screens with moving test images, small desk lamps and overhead lighting.
Biological lab, benches and moveable chairs in (unoccupied) labratory space.
Open collaborative space. Round tables with green chairs mixed with bench seating for collaborative discussion and study. Large flat-screen monitor hanging on one wall.
Open plan office space, with co-located desks, chairs and elliptical overhead lighting. Rectangular windowsills painted with various bright colours (turquoise, lime green and candy pink) - contrasted with the white interior and exterior walls.
Central stairwell. Spiral staircase with curved walls covered in mosaic-tiles. Large circular skylight.
View of UTS Tower, Balcony room and building 4 (Science) from rooftop balcony. Garden and reflective roof covering it are features of building 7. Provides perspective and context to the location of the building within the UTS campus.
Outside imagery of Southern side of new building and adjoining alumni green grassed area. Facade of building 7 features organic form, designed to be similar profile to a grove of trees. The building facade is not square, and many rectangular windows form line patterns along the building.
Closing screen "Faculty of Science and Graduate School of Health Building - Ready to explore Semester 1, 2015" UTS: Digital Media Production
By: Celia Britton
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