The College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and Technology will move from Van Deusen Hall into the state-of-the-art Aeronautics and Technology Building in spring 2015. This new facility located on Summit St. will have a refined industrial look, Kent State University project manager Charmaine Iwanski said on a July 11 tour of the uncompleted building.

 “There are a lot of ‘green’ features to the building and we used durable materials that are going to last awhile,” Iwanski said. “It is a very good investment.” 

 The Aeronautics and Technology Building construction began in September 2013. The university made a commitment that all new buildings and major renovation projects will go for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold, LEED silver or better, said Michael Bruder, executive director of facilities, planning and design for Kent State University. The Aeronautics and Technology Building is projected to receive LEED silver. 

 The building will be equipped with air traffic control training rooms, a hydrogen research lab, materials and processes lab, computer lab that is FAA testing certified, administration offices, general classrooms and a student lounge. There will also be an open green area outside the north side of the building along the esplanade. In the future, roof access will be available to sustainability students for classes and projects.

 The Aeronautics and Technology Building is about 70 percent completed, Bruder said.  

 “We are currently trying to enclose the building so we can control the climate and start to dehumidify the building,” Bruder said. “We are going to start hanging dry wall and install other finishes that need to be protected from the elements.”

 Robert Sines, dean of the College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and Technology, said the building is much better than Van Deusen Hall. However, he said the building is a little too small for what they need.   

 “There are plans to build an addition onto it,” Sines said. “When they originally planned the layout of the building, it was larger, but because of funding they cut the size back. But they still have plans to add a large lecture hall and some more classrooms, which we need.”

 As an institution, the College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and Technology would be moving out of Van Deusen, Bruder said. The location was chosen to try and connect them with the other science buildings.

Contact Kristen Kobe at [email protected].