The SFU Sustainable Energy & Environmental Engineering (SE3P) building is a continuation of the important partnership between Simon Fraser University (SFU) and the City of Surrey that was established in the Surrey City Centre over twenty years ago.  This building also represents the first major step in the expansion of the SFU Surrey Campus beyond their Central City campus in what is envisioned as an integrated academic precinct within the City Centre. The SE3P program is a new initiative of SFU and will be the first dedicated undergraduate energy engineering program in Western Canada accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board. This program will offer an integrated approach to energy engineering education combining essential elements of policy, economics, management, entrepreneurship and leadership with a strong base of energy related engineering sciences and design.

The program of the building is organized around a central grand atrium space whose axis is in line with the skytrain station. The widened atrium begins along the University Drive facade and converges as you move upwards through the building to the west below bridges and spiral staircases that animate the space above. The intention is to populate this atrium with trees at varying levels to bring nature into the building. This expression of nature in the building has been intentionally introduced remind the building’s occupants that the SE3P program’s focus is on the environment and sustainability.

Facade design is composed of undulating framed precast concrete and reflective glass, abstractly derived from circuit board imagery relating to the technological subject matter that will be taught within the building. This imagery has been abstracted and takes on a more three dimensional quality on the façade, suggesting a more complex interaction and movement of people, rather than of electrons.