Using the technology of university buildings in engineering education

The Faculty of Applied Science at Queen's University has introduced an integrated and comprehensive approach to engineering education called Integrated Learning. In order to support this program, a new building, Beamish-Munro Hall, has been constructed to provide multidisciplinary plazas and innovative teaching studios as well as supporting facilities for team-based, project-based learning. One element of the plan has been the use of the technology inherent in the building itself to support the educational program. We call this aspect of the program `the live building'. This paper describes the construction, development and operation of the live building elements chosen; the problems encountered; and some preliminary results.