LUSU's Bike Shack: A clean, green, healthy storage facility
(September 17, 2007 - Thunder Bay, ON) Today, students, faculty, and staff gathered in front of the Lakehead University Student Union's new Bike Shack facility to celebrate the grand opening of the multi-purpose building - a clean, green, and healthy initiative on various fronts.
"This building is securely monitored, and students' annual fees allow them to store their bikes here," says Richard Longtin, President of the Lakehead University Student Union (LUSU). "These days, students are becoming more and more concerned with the issue of climate change. Students feel positive about the facility; it encourages a healthy lifestyle and contributes to reducing the effects of climate change by biking to and from home and school." The storage area of the facility comprises 1766 square feet of space, capable of storing up to 172 student bicycles.
Although the building's main purpose is to store bicycles, the 780 square foot auxiliary portion of the facility will be used as a service and repair area for students' bicycles. However, through discussions among LUSU and Drs. Anthony Gillies and Bryan Poulin, some undergraduate research may also benefit from this portion of the building as it will also be used to test energy conservation and air quality - including humidity control. It is providing various undergraduate students in the Faculties of Engineering and Business the opportunity to apply knowledge and research from their respective fields of study. Here, students are working under the supervision of Gillies and Poulin to perfect heat-recovery and air quality methods.
The innovative component of the project stems from the growing need to provide safe, healthy, and cost-efficient conditions for occupants of northern homes. "Houses in the north are plagued with mould, mildew, and moisture problems," says Poulin, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Business Administration. "Overall, the hope is to develop and test efficient house building technology," adds Gillies, Chair and Associate Professor of Civil Engineering. "Building materials are finally catching up with ideas and needs, and if this plan progresses as we hope it does, the systems that we have invented may have the potential to improve and enhance housing in the north."
Both Gillies and Poulin note the tremendous support the project has received from various manufacturers across the region. "Corporations have donated time, materials, and expertise," says Poulin. "We must be on to something." With the help of Lakehead University's Innovation Management Office, Gillies and Poulin will apply for an invention patent, and hope to finalize and announce all details by the end of the year.
"This building is securely monitored, and students' annual fees allow them to store their bikes here," says Richard Longtin, President of the Lakehead University Student Union (LUSU). "These days, students are becoming more and more concerned with the issue of climate change. Students feel positive about the facility; it encourages a healthy lifestyle and contributes to reducing the effects of climate change by biking to and from home and school." The storage area of the facility comprises 1766 square feet of space, capable of storing up to 172 student bicycles.
The innovative component of the project stems from the growing need to provide safe, healthy, and cost-efficient conditions for occupants of northern homes. "Houses in the north are plagued with mould, mildew, and moisture problems," says Poulin, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Business Administration. "Overall, the hope is to develop and test efficient house building technology," adds Gillies, Chair and Associate Professor of Civil Engineering. "Building materials are finally catching up with ideas and needs, and if this plan progresses as we hope it does, the systems that we have invented may have the potential to improve and enhance housing in the north."
Both Gillies and Poulin note the tremendous support the project has received from various manufacturers across the region. "Corporations have donated time, materials, and expertise," says Poulin. "We must be on to something." With the help of Lakehead University's Innovation Management Office, Gillies and Poulin will apply for an invention patent, and hope to finalize and announce all details by the end of the year.
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Media: Richard Longtin, and Drs. Gillies and Poulin may be contacted for media interview. Please contact Heather Scott, Communications Officer to arrange for appropriate interview times.Heather can be reached at 807-343-8177 or commun@lakeheadu.ca
About Lakehead
Lakehead is a comprehensive university with a reputation for innovative programs and cutting-edge research. With a main campus located in