UTSA’s New Teaching & Research Laboratory to Support Construction Science Instruction

By Jesus Chavez
Public Affairs Specialist

(Jan. 21, 2014) – The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Department of Construction Science, housed in the College of Architecture, Construction and Planning, has opened the doors to its new multi-purpose teaching and research facility. The Bartlett Cocke General Contractors Teaching and Research Laboratory, located on the UTSA Downtown Campus, will give students the tools to learn virtual design and construction techniques in a classroom setting.

The laboratory was funded by a generous gift from Bartlett Cocke General Contractors, a long-time supporter of the UTSA Department of Construction Science. Representatives from Bartlett Cocke General Contractors, the local construction industry community and UTSA were present for the laboratory’s ribbon-cutting ceremony at the UTSA Downtown Campus on Tuesday, Jan. 20.

The Bartlett Cocke General Contractors Teaching and Research laboratory will be used to strengthen UTSA students’ first-hand experiences in the areas of construction, design and management using visualization technology. It will feature state-of-the-art computer displays and software that can accurately and realistically model each stage of a building’s life cycle, from planning to construction, before physical construction begins.

“The Bartlett Cocke General Contractors Teaching and Research Laboratory is designed to serve as a multi-purpose teaching, learning and research environment that will better enable our graduates to compete in the industry,” said Yilmaz Hatipkarasulu, chair of the UTSA Department of Construction Science. “The Department of Construction Science is grateful for Bartlett Cocke General Contractors’ continued support. It is through this support that UTSA is able to educate and mentor the construction industry professionals and leaders of the future.”

The Bartlett Cocke General Contractors Teaching and Research laboratory is housed in two unique classroom settings. The first, a 30-seat computer laboratory with a 10-foot high screen, functions as a traditional classroom setting for students to learn the basics of computer modeling. The second space houses a 15-foot interactive projector system. Students and faculty will be able to use the system to view, create and manage building and data models common to the construction science and management industry.

“UTSA Construction Science and Management students and faculty will benefit greatly from having a unique space tailored to provide them access to industry-standard software and hardware,” said John D. Murphy, Jr., dean of the UTSA College of Architecture, Construction and Planning. “The Bartlett Cocke General Contractors Teaching and Research Laboratory will help in preparing students for the rigors of the construction industry. It will also allow students the opportunity to better work with its community partners, such as Bartlett Cocke General Contractors.”

The UTSA College of Architecture, Construction and Planning worked closely with Bartlett Cocke General Contractors toward the construction of this facility. The company is a founding member organization of the UTSA Construction Industry Advisory Council (CIAC), which advises the UTSA CSM Program on matters relating to the construction industry.

Since the CSM program’s inception, Bartlett Cocke General Contractors has worked with UTSA to foster the academic successes of its Construction Science and Management students. Since 2010, it has also supported CSM students through its Endowed and Annual Scholarships.

“Bartlett Cocke General Contractors is committed to the University of Texas at San Antonio because we believe it is integral to the San Antonio Community,” said Harry Moeller, president of Bartlett Cocke General Contractors and president of the CIAC. “We are committed to the UTSA Department of Construction Science because we believe it is important to the sustainability of the local construction industry. And we are committed to the application of technology such as Building Information Modeling at the construction site to make our projects safe, our schedules faster and keep construction costs below budget.”

Moeller added: “For this reason, we committed our financial resources to the UTSA Construction Science program to help make their vision of a Building Information Modeling Laboratory a reality. It helps ensure that the UTSA graduates we hire have experience working with the latest technologies so that they may help us apply that technology in the field.”

The UTSA Department of Construction Science provides quality construction education for the next generation of construction professionals and leaders based on a solid foundation of ethical, managerial and technical principles. The American Council for Construction Education is the accrediting organization for the UTSA Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Science and Management.

The UTSA Department of Construction Science meets the current and future needs of the construction industry in the greater San Antonio region, provides future construction professionals with an understanding of sustainable and responsible practice, and enhances the construction profession through scholarly research and professional development. Since its inception, the CSM program has nurtured close ties with its community partners through the CIAC and other efforts.

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Learn more about the UTSA Department of Construction Science at construction.utsa.edu.

Learn more about the UTSA College of Architecture, Construction Planning at cacp.utsa.edu.

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