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The Brock Research Center at Brock University
The Brock Research Center at Brock University is a sustainable research building, certified LEED Platinum and Net Zero Energy, Water, and Waste. This makes it the 11th project in the world to achieve this certification. The building also met rigorous LBC requirements. It is an excellent example of green design, and the Brock team is very proud of its accomplishments.
Brock’s research agenda
Cynthia Brock’s research agenda focuses on the literacy learning opportunities of elementary children from diverse backgrounds. Her research also explores the role of teacher education, including cross-cultural studies, in improving educational outcomes for students of all backgrounds. Her extensive publications include articles in the Journal of Reading Research and the International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education.
Brock University’s academic programs span the entire research spectrum, and it ranks among Canada’s top universities in research output and impact indicators. It is home to Canada’s only MICA program, and the only undergraduate program in the country in Public Health. In addition to undergraduate studies, the university offers 49 graduate degrees and nine PhD programs.
Site
Located along the All-American Canal, the Site of the Brock Research Center diverts water for agriculture. The 500 acres of farmland were used for a variety of crops. The center was operational from the 1940s until the late 1990s. During this time, the facility grew several varieties of crops and used water from the canal above AAC Drop 2 to grow them. The land has now reverted to the Bureau of Reclamation.
The Brock Center also provides an innovative environmental education program. It engages thousands of people each year and incorporates conservation and restoration programs into one unique and highly accessible environment. The facility includes an educational pavilion, waterfront pier, canoes, marsh, beach, and a specialized education vessel that conducts open water studies. Students learn about the land-water interface by engaging in hands-on activities in the natural environment.
Energy
The Brock Research Center aims to use energy resources more efficiently than it consumes. Its highly efficient systems include a dedicated outside air system and a variable-refrigeration-forced air (VRF) HVAC system. Its use of Energy Star appliances, low-energy lighting and plugs, and a low-emissions index (EUI) of the building’s interior. In addition, it uses a hybrid grid of renewable energy sources and two ten-kW wind turbines.
Energy research at the Brock Research Center is aimed at addressing fundamental questions relating to materials, their evolution, and CO2 capture and conversion. The Department of Energy (DOE) has been giving more importance to the use of hydrogen and CO2 as part of a new clean energy economy. It announced the Energy Earthshots, which include the Hydrogen Shot, in November 2021.
Water
The Brock Research Center was built to be as environmentally friendly as possible. This means minimizing or eliminating water use, energy consumption and waste. The building was designed with energy efficiency and life-cycle analysis in mind. It features a building management system that provides daily data that the design team compares to predicted energy and water use. The Brock Center is certified as a Net-Zero Energy and Water Facility, and has received LEED Platinum certification.
The Brock Center also offers an educational program that engages thousands of people annually. Its classrooms and outdoor piers encourage hands-on learning about Bay ecosystems. It also has a boat that takes educators and students on excursions to the Lynnhaven River, where they can conduct open water studies.
Environmental impact
Brock University’s new Brock Research Center was designed with the environmental impact of human activity in mind. This UNESCO Biosphere Reserve-listed building was the first Canadian building to be designed as “Net-Zero Energy.” The Brock Center’s owners took steps to offset the environmental impact of construction by purchasing 1,234 metric tons of carbon offsets through Sterling Planet.
The Brock Center produces more energy than it consumes, with electricity bills averaging $17 per month, which is less than half of what conventional office buildings charge. In addition, the Brock Center’s design uses nontoxic materials throughout, combined-mode ventilation, and geothermal heating and cooling to provide a comfortable climate inside the building.
Future plans
The Brock Research Center is a center dedicated to helping the community college system improve student success. It is run by Dr. Thomas Brock, who has worked in education research for over two decades. Prior to joining the Brock Research Center, Brock served as the commissioner of the National Center for Education Research at the Institute of Education Sciences. While at IES, Brock led a comprehensive research program on improving educational outcomes for students at all ages. He also planned and launched national research centers and networks.
The Brock Center has an environmental education program that engages over 2,000 people annually. The program includes hands-on environmental science demonstrations and activities on land and in water. It also includes an 80-seat conference room and an outdoor classroom. The outdoor classroom hosts thousands of K-12 students each year. In addition, the center operates an education vessel that embarks onto the Lynnhaven River to conduct open water studies. The goal of the program is to make people more aware of the relationship between the land and the water.
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