An advanced learning environment that attracts students pursuing a career in the petroleum industry

Lakeland College Energy Centre

With an increased demand for power engineers and heavy oil professionals in Alberta, Lakeland College (LLC) was feeling the growth pressures from industry and the demand for a higher level of training from prospective students. For years, LLC had been considering expansion, but for the project to be a success they needed the right team with the right experience—they turned to Stantec.

The initial impetus for the Lakeland College expansion was the need for an upgraded, advanced boiler lab to accommodate a large amount of equipment, with enough ceiling room for the equipment’s exposed piping. Structurally and aesthetically, this created the challenge of creating a huge open space without making it feel like a pre-engineered building or an aircraft hangar. To merge functionality and elegant looks, we designed a 27,000-square-foot expansion on the northeast wing of the campus that navigates stringent safety and equipment specifications while incorporating unique design elements.

Now complete, this stunning $20 million, two-story Energy Centre features a massive, slanted glass exterior wall. By exposing the mechanical elements of the centre’s lab, the colored orange and red glass that mimics Alberta’s spectacular prairie sunsets.