Pacific Northwest Center for Construction Research and Education

MAP TO SAND POINT

With generous support from the local construction industry in Seattle, the Department of Construction Management took on an ambitious project to develop a nearby research and education center at the old naval base at Sand Point. An Open House was held on November 20, 2009 to thank donors for more than $2 million in contributions and to celebrate the grand opening of The Pacific Northwest Center for Construction Research and Education (PNCCRE).

The PNCCRE features 25,000 square feet of space on two levels, providing a home for three areas of research and activity:

• Virtual Construction
• Methods and Materials
• Construction Education

The Center’s Executive Director, Dr. Carrie Dossick, Professor in the Department of Construction Management, is responsible for the development and implementation of the Center to meet the needs of the CM faculty and students and the Center’s partners (Human Interface Technology Laboratory, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, and College of Education).

Virtual Construction Lab
The Virtual Construction Lab focuses on research in modeling, simulation, and visualization. It houses a 1,200-square-foot Holosuite and a giant 120-degree projection screen (30’ x 15’) for virtual and augmented reality applications. This lab was developed in collaboration with UW’s Human Interface Technology Laboratory, a multi-disciplinary research and development lab whose work centers on human interface technology. Lab researchers represent a wide range of departments from across the University of Washington campus, including engineering, medicine, education, social sciences, architecture and the design arts.

Methods and Materials Lab
The Methods and Materials Lab focuses on productivity, safety, and health studies. It incorporate two primary components: a large high bay space in which construction systems can be used to work on specified building components or materials using standard or innovative techniques, and an integrated high-speed data acquisition system to capture multiple-feed digital video and instrument signals using high speed wireless telemetry. This space was developed in collaboration with UW’s Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Department.

Construction Education
Several Construction Management classes are held each year at the PNCCRE, including CM 313 (Methods and Materials I), CM 404 (Integrated Design Studio), and CM 431 (Project Management II - Capstone).

In addition, PNCCRE is used by the UWCM Department to offer professional development sessions for industry, on topics such as Lean Construction.

Lastly, our College, University and Industry colleagues, such as MCA of Western Washington and the Department of Urban Planning and Developement, use PNCCRE to conduct their own trainings, meetings and special events. To learn more about using the facility, click here.