University of Maine Begins Construction on Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center

The University of Maine began construction in May of 2020 on the $78 million Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center in Orono. Designed by Ellenzweig and WBRC Architects/Engineers to promote experiential learning, the 108,000-sf facility will feature hands-on teaching labs for programs in mechanical and biomedical engineering. The three-story multidisciplinary building will also offer instructional spaces, capstone project rooms, a collaboration commons, conference rooms, informal meeting areas, and offices for faculty and staff. Flexible classrooms that accommodate a range of class sizes will be easily reconfigurable from lecture to active learning. LEED sustainable design certification will be sought for the facility, which is slated for completion in August of 2022. The project team includes Consigli Construction with Thornton-Tomasetti as structural engineer and LEED consultant.