The three-story home of Thompson River University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Nursing and Health Care Assistant programs promise to enhance the quality of nursing education. The Nursing and Population Health building represents the highest accolade in healthcare education and will improve access for students, improve student’s transition into the workforce, enrich research opportunities and further invest in the healthcare world. The building will feature state-of-the-art simulation labs, classrooms, a home care simulation lab, seminar rooms, student lounges and research space while fostering a collaborative and innovative environment. 

The vision of TRU was to create a state-of-the-art teaching facility for nurses while delivering the project on-time and on-budget. To combat this, PCL incorporated the Last Planner® System along with the 5S sustainability methodology of construction by engaging trade partners early on during the scheduling and material management throughout the lifecycle of the project. The team also delivered value-engineering through early design input and engagement with trade partners and close management ensuring the tight budget and schedule were followed. As a solution, PCL presented the methodology of Continuous Flight Auger (CFA). The preliminary design approach was to construct the building on a raft slab form of foundation, inevitably exposing the building to significant differential settlements greater than 75mm in areas. The non-disruptive CFA piling approach reduced noise impact on the operational campus while also reducing the overall building settlement, saving the owner over $1 million while reducing the overall schedule.

TRU will continue to lead interior British Columbia as a leading healthcare learning facility, and in a time of critical healthcare needs, nursing students throughout Western Canada will benefit from the state-of-the-art building.