The design of the Centre for Northern Innovation in Mining (CNIM) at Yukon University accommodates two large mechanical shops that function as industrial teaching spaces and house mine training simulators. The facility also includes three teaching classrooms, offices and other service spaces for the CNIM program.

The first phase of this project involved the development of a final functional program for the proposed facility, clearly identifying criteria for a design solution. Consideration was given to the definition of clear approaches for addressing occupational health and safety regulations through the division of the building into PPE (personal protective equipment) and non-PPE zones. The design of the new CNIM facility is based on the concept of these two zones intersecting.  The ‘red-zone’ is an interstitial area of the building where the hazardous colour reminds students to don their PPE.

The pre-engineered building is a rectangular box with a shed roof covered in insulated metal panels in order to simplify construction and reduce costs. The academic wing meets the shop at an angle which results from the available site area and the need to use the academic wing to act as the primary building face and take advantage of prime view down the river valley.

The facility has achieved a 25% reduction in energy use from the National Energy Code 2011 through daylight and occupant aware LED lighting, increased insulation, extensive natural light, solar shades, heat recovery ventilation, and a solar thermal wall.