In the early late 1700s, before he was a household name, Thomas Jefferson described his college as “a rude, misshapen pile,” comparing the College of William & Mary it to a brick kiln, in his Notes on the State of Virginia. He further criticized the campus as “noisy, unhealthy, vulnerable to fires, and affording little privacy.”

Needless to say, the then-future American president was not a fan of the facilities.

His experience was not isolated. It’s fair to say that the student experience hasn’t always been the top priority for post-secondary campus design and construction. Often, but not always throughout history, college and university building design was utilitarian — intended simply to provide a space for learning.

Today, post-secondary education leaders are looking for something a little different for their students.

“It's really all about student wellness now, it seems,” says Bryan Jepsen, a project manager for PCL Construction in Kelowna. “Post-secondary institutions are really putting an emphasis on that.”

And PCL has the expertise and experience to collaborate in all phases of design and construction, to make modern facilities — that foster learning, collaboration and wellness — come to life.

Jepsen worked on the Okanagan College Trades Renewal and Expansion, which wrapped up in 2016. The project, which achieved LEED platinum certification, includes a solar chimney: a natural ventilation system that uses solar energy, and the use of exposed timber elements, which can have positive impacts on physical and mental health, according to several sources.

“Today’s educational institutions really lean on making an environment that is comfortable for the students so that they can focus on their academics and not be distracted by, for example, cold temperatures.

He says the building incorporates multiple features to increase the level of occupant comfort inside.

“The facility features indirect natural lighting that provides more comfort than direct lighting, as well as exposed glue-laminated timbers and lots of windows in the atrium,” says Jepsen.

The building also uses a passive ventilation system, known as the stack effect, that naturally moves air without energy-consuming fans. When the temperature difference between inside and outside is right, windows open automatically. Cool air flows in through lower windows, while warm air rises and exits through upper ones. The result is a steady, natural airflow that keeps the space more comfortable for students.

PCL will soon start work on another facility for the school: Okanagan College’s new Centre for Food, Wine and Tourism. Project leaders say the new facility will expand the existing campus and improve the educational environment for students in hospitality services and culinary arts, with more space and modern facilities.

Another common trend in modern school design is the use of natural light, as opposed to the small windows and fluorescent lights in older institutional buildings.

When PCL built the Singhmar Centre for Learning at Edmonton’s Norquest College, the design included a massive central atrium, flanked by classrooms with full-height glazing, so the sun’s rays reach each student. The facility was also built with a V-shaped ceiling that reflects outside light to every corner of the building.

“It's less utilitarian and more of an inviting space,” says Kevin Burghardt, senior project manager for the Singhmar Centre build. “You want that natural lighting to be there, not feeling like you're in a cave all day. That connection to the outside world is a big part of healthy learning.”

The four-storey 242,000 square-foot facility also includes a double facade system, designed by engineering firm DIALOG, constructed and installed by PCL, that helps manage inside temperatures naturally.

“On the west face of the building, there's a double curtain wall system with an air space in between,” explains Burghardt. “That cavity is ventilated in the summer to minimize heat gain and closed in the winter to maximize thermal performance — improving the overall thermal efficiency of the system.”

The PCL-built Trades & Technology Complex at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) isn’t just visually stunning and LEED Gold certified – the building itself is a teaching tool.

“A lot of the elements of the facility are left exposed,” says Derek Pearce, a senior construction manager for PCL. “You've got moving elevator components that are behind a glass wall instead of masonry or a shaft wall. You've got HVAC systems and corridors exposed, conduits exposed. There were a lot of those components left visible for the students.”

The idea is that students learning the trades can see how the professionals do it, every time they come to school.

“It's a common theme now, and SAIT was probably ahead of its game — using the facility’s environment to enhance the experience,” says Pearce.

And like many projects in recent years, Pearce says SAIT and PCL focused on what is best for the people who would use the facility: the students.

“The client was the student,” says Pearce. “The mantra was, if there are any decisions to be made, the question was, what’s in the best interests of them.”

Construction leaders say the shift in what post-secondary educational clients are looking for is driven by a few trends. For one, students coming out of high school have more options than ever, when it comes to colleges, universities and polytechnics.

“The post-secondary world is highly competitive,” says Burghardt. “These schools are all competing for the same students. I think they've realized that students spend so much time there learning that you want a space where they want to be, or they're going to go somewhere else.”

Another factor is educational outcomes. According to Pearce, the environment students learn in actually influences their ability to learn.

“Comfort is important,” he says. “Not just physical comfort, but mental comfort as well. A school is very much a second home for students.”

Of course, finishing projects on time and on budget is still critical when it comes to school facilities, and PCL is a proven leader in terms of reliability. But more and more, owners are looking for that extra touch: a facility that puts each student’s experience front and centre. And on each project, PCL delivers.