Summary of CEC Space Utilization and Plans for Long Term Solutions

Draft 19February 2013

R. Mullen, Mike Matthews

Summary of existing space allocated to CEC

The total space in the CEC room inventory is 256,458 sf. This does not include the machine shop, or leased space (3,425 sq. ft.), or theCondition Based Maintenance facility (~3,500 sq. ft.). Space assigned to CEC researchers in Horizon I was estimated using a net 17,500 sf. per floor.

Peer Comparisons:Total space based on TT faculty count

To compare with other engineering and computer science colleges, the Ballinger 2011 report on space usage (CMU, Columbia, Cornell, Ohio State, Purdue, Illinois, Maryland and Texas). reports an average of 3069 sf/faculty. On the basis of an average engineering school, CEC should currently have 346,797 sq. ft. which indicates that at its current size of 118 faculty, the College needs 90,339 sq. ft. in the very near future. The range of sq.feet per faculty at the eight schools in the report is 2057 (Columbia) to 4906 (Ohio State) which provides for bounds on the space needs CEC of between 232,441 sq. ft. to 554,378. sq. ft. If one discounts the space at Columbia U. as being constrained by Manhattan real estate prices, the bounds on overall space at the 7 remaining engineering and computer science schools is 265,663 sq ft. to 554,378 sq ft. Thus CEC is at best slightly undersized for a school of 118 faculty members and at worst has less than 1/2 the required space. It should also be noted that most of the schools in the Ballinger report do not include classroom space in the engineering school inventory, as it is part of the overall university needs.

Departmental peer comparisons: Research Labs and Support Space

Based on the average space used by various departments included in the Ballinger report, the following current departmental needs have been calculated and listed in Table 1. Note that in the Ballinger report, CSE and EE have been combined into a single value that cannot be applied to EE and CSE individually.The space shown as assigned to the CEC Dean’s office includes all classrooms and computer labs in 300 Main and Swearingen except Amoco Hall. The Dean’s total includes additional service space and offices for Dean’s staff, Student Services, recruiting (PLTW etc), and service space such as the canteen and Faculty Lounge. The Ballinger report does not provide benchmarks for such space.

Table 1. Current Office and Lab Space, and Shortfall per Ballinger Report Benchmarks

Department / TT
Faculty
Count,
Spr. ‘13 / Current Space (s.f.) / Space per Faculty (Ballinger) / Current Needs, Ballinger Benchmark / Current Shortfall / Shortfall at Faculty Count of 130
CEC Dean / 0 / 52,105 / 0 / 0 / n.a.
Chemical / 24 / 61,807 / 3,242 / 81,050 / 19,243
Civil & Env. / 20 / 43,919 / 2,869 / 57,380 / 13,461
Electrical / 17 / 47,342 / 1,969 / 33,473 / -13,869
Mechanical / 32 / 31,281 / 2,787 / 91,971 / 60,690
CSCE / 24 / 15,001 / 1,969 / 45,287 / 30,286
118 / Shortfall excl. CEC Dean / 109,811

Classroom Space and Student Support

Room Capacity / Number of Classrooms
320 (Amoco) / 1
66-70 / 3
42-55 / 4+ 1 when Horizon garage space built
1-35 / 10
Table 2. CEC classroom utilization

Total classroom space allocated to Engineering and Computing is 17,825 sf. in 18 rooms. The classroom space per undergraduate is 9 sf. The comparison data from Ballinger is that 2% of the total engineering college's space was use for classrooms. However, this small percentage is because most universities provide classroom space that is not identified with a college. Inorder to determine the current classroom space usage, the engineering classroom schedule for the fall and spring semesters (AY 2011) was collected from the registrar and analyzed. The current distribution of classroom sizes in the engineering school is given in Table 2. Detailed utilization is given in Figures 1-3. (The new 70-person classroom in the Horizon Garage is not included.)

The largest existing demand for engineering classroom space is in the 66-70 room size.

Recommendation is to add one classroom with suitable desk space at the 150 student capacity and possibly repurpose smaller classroom space.

Immediate unmet needs

Computer Science and Engineering:

Larger classrooms for large enrollment classes, especially service courses.
At least 5,000 sq. feet, and ideally 15,000 sq. feet increase in lab space, to bring CSCE in line with peer departments, as recommended by the Computing Research Association. In some cases, 3 PIs are sharing rooms.Utilities, in particular cooling, must be adequate for equipment.
5 PhD students, fully supported, did not have a desk. (10/23/2012)
New hire G.Q. Zhang did not have an office as of 10/23/2012.
An anticipated hire in Fall 2013 will need an office.

Civil & Environmental Engineering:

Seating and offices for graduate students and post-doctoral researchers

Chemical Engineering:

Seating and offices for graduate students that is not inside chemical labs
Additional space, or renovated space, that would allow all labs to be compliant with current NFPA codes.

Electrical Engineering:

3,000 sq. feet immediately for one senior and two junior hires, Fall 2012.
Certain faculty slotted to retire do not have labs. New hires would need lab space that the department does not presently have. (10/2012)
2,,000 sq. feet immediately for senior design and robotics labs. Each course in the two-semester sequence is now taught every semester.

Dean’s Office:

A nursing mother’s lounge.

Special opportunities

Benchmarking against the universities in the Ballinger report will provide only a range of space. The departments have identified the following special needs and opportunities that cannot be met by current needs.

1. ConditionBased Maintenance program. This program is currently supported at about $1M per year, and occupies about 3,500 square feet, part of which is storage and staging space in the high bay area in the 300 Main Building. Expansion to about 6,000-7,00 square feet would allow additional projects and increased funding. Consolidating the CBM in one space would also clear space in 300 Main for the Department of Civil Engineering.

2. There is also a strong desire to create specialized instructional space to support interdisciplinary design groups. In addition to instruction, having such facilities clustered in an accessible area would enhance undergraduate recruiting and help attract companies to support design projects. Details needed from department and program chairs.

Shared design studio (Mechanical, Electrical)
Open design/showcase area (Computer Science/Engineering)

3. With a new building, CEC would have the opportunity to cluster approximately5,000 square feet to cluster the various student professional chapters. This should have a positive effect on retention. The college’s outreach staff would also be located in new space, which would also enhance undergraduate recruiting.The outreach office is currently too crowded to accommodate visitors, and the college is renting space to store their posters, flyers, and instructional materials for PLTW.

4. Distance education/distributed learning facilities. For Carolina College and for Engineering Management. Also, to support the campus-wide Digital Design minor.

5. Industry-like space with a long, narrow footprint for a sediment transport flume.

6. Pending Smart State hires:

Second Hydrogen chair (approved)
Advanced Tissue Biofabrication chair (approved)
Second Nuclear Energy chair (approved)
Digital Design chair (in discussion)

Additional special needs and opportunities

Figure 1. Percent of Utilization (8am-6pm) 320 student classroom.

Figure 2. Percent of Utilization (8am-6pm) 66-70 student classrooms.

Figure 3. Percent of Utilization (8am-6pm) average of all classrooms.