Hailed as one of the most advanced transportation centres in the country, the Centre for Applied Transportation Technology (CATT) is the new location for a growing student body seeking job-ready credentials in the transportation industry’s trades and technologies. At the CATT, a focus on an interdisciplinary learning experience is supported by the collocation of aircraft, automotive, large truck, agricultural, and aircraft equipment education. Shared services, such as computer labs, parts access, diagnostic information access, and specialized tools provide opportunities to simulate real world cross-disciplinary collaborative scenarios.
Located on a site just a few blocks east of the existing campus, the CATT is pioneering a new contemporary expression, which will expectantly raise the design standards of an area dominated by large industrial buildings. A sustainable design approach incorporates water management strategies, extensive use of natural light and passive solar shading, as well as enhanced building automation systems into the building plan. The most visible of these strategies is the vegetated green roof that uses drought resistant plants to help keep the building cool in hot weather, maximizes storm water retention, protects the roof membrane from the sun’s rays, and offers hands-on experience for students in Fanshawe’s Horticultural Program.