Beam by Beam: SCITHub's Timber Frame Takes Shape

We're thrilled to announce that construction for the groundbreaking Smart Campus Integration and Testing Hub (SCITHub) is currently underway! The second floor of the timber structure is quickly taking shape. "With the CLT structure nearly complete, our focus is on sealing the building envelope before winter," notes Patrick Barker, Greenferd Vice President. "We're on track to finish panel installations by the end of October, immediately followed by the roof membrane and waterproofing. Once we're watertight, the installation of the glazing and exterior siding will begin, allowing our interior trades to commence with the electrical and mechanical infrastructure."

SCITHub’s very bones are a statement of sustainable intent. The entire primary structure is being built from a sophisticated mass timber system, featuring robust, five-inch-thick cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels made of spruce. This choice not only creates a warm, biophilic environment but also champions low-carbon design by locking away atmospheric carbon.

But this structure is more than just sustainable; it is a sentient building designed for discovery. As Project Lead and DAS Associate Professor Jennifer McArthur explains, "The SCITHub will be a globally-unique research facility, instrumented with extensive sensors that measure every detail of its performance. Even these CLT walls will be sensored, allowing researchers to understand the long-term behaviour of mass timber construction in real-time, advancing both building science and smart building technology."

The building’s south elevation will feature a glazed curtain wall screened by vertical Douglas fir louvers. This clever design creates a dynamic interplay of light and shadow while modulating solar gain. Beneath the surface, SCITHub features geo-exchange heating and cooling which allows for simultaneously cooling specific research labs while heating adjacent offices, all within a net-zero carbon operational framework. Stay tuned for more updates as we build up SCITHub, beam by beam!