Unibep completed the WAT Radio Science and Education Centre
The ceremonial opening of a new building being part of the Faculty of Electronics of the Military University of Technology (Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna, WAT) was held on 6 February 2023. The modern Radio Science and Education Centre was constructed in Sylwester Kaliski Street in Warsaw, and Unibep SA was the company responsible for its implementation. This is yet another investment in the portfolio of the General Contractor that serves research and educational purposes. And, importantly, it is another investment that serves the Polish military.
The opening ceremony of the Radio Science and Education Centre of the Military University of Technology was attended by the representatives of the university’s authorities, including Rector-Commandant of the Military University of Technology, Brigade General, prof. dr hab. inż. Przemysław Wachulak and Dean of the Faculty of Electronics prof. dr hab. inż. Ryszard Szplet. The government plenipotentiaries were also present, including Jan Pawelec, Director of the Department of Trade and International Cooperation at the Ministry of Development and Technology, and Jakub Mykowski, Director of the Department of Military Education at the Ministry of National Defence. The General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces was represented by Colonel Andrzej Godecki ,Chief of the Management and Command P6 Directorate.
Marek Mizeracki and Przemysław Janiak spoke on behalf of the design office Architektura Design Project Service. The General Contractor, Unibep SA, was represented by Vice-President of the Management Board and Construction Director Krzysztof Mikołajczyk, and the construction staff, including Contract Manager Dariusz Gietka, Site Manager Krystian Sadoń, and Works Manager Artur Jakończyk.
“I am very proud of the results of our team’s work, which I am presenting to you today. We have constructed the building on time and with attention to all details, ensuring quality, comfort of use, and above all, the highest safety standards,” said Vice President of the Management Board of Unibep SA and Construction Director Krzysztof Mikołajczyk during the ceremony.
“I am happy that public entities entrust the implementation of their investments to Unibep, which currently is the largest construction company with Polish capital. We perceive the opportunity to support the development of Polish science, culture, and military as an honour and distinction for our organisation. At Unibep, we take great satisfaction in building not only visually attractive buildings, but above all, valuable and useful ones for generations of Poles,” concluded Vice-President Krzysztof Mikołajczyk.
Dean of the Faculty of Electronics of the Military University of Technology prof. dr hab. inż. Ryszard Szplet, Vice President of the Management Board of Unibep SA and Construction Director Krzysztof Mikołajczyk, Vice-Rector for Scientific Affairs of the Military University of Technology prof. dr hab. inż. Andrzej Dobrowolski
The construction project of the Radio Science and Education Centre of the Military University of Technology was co-financed by the Department of Science of the Ministry of National Defence and by the American company L3 Harris, the leading supplier of a wide range of electronic systems for military and commercial platforms.
A modern building with an inclined structural glass façade
The construction of the Radio Science and Education Centre lasted 2 years and 5 months. As a result of the conducted works, a modern three-storey building with a usable area of almost 3 thousand sq. m was created near the Institute of Communication Systems of the Military University of Technology. The characteristic feature of the building is the southern side, 15-degree inclined glazed façade.
“Construction of an inclined reinforced concrete structure with the formwork as the basis and starting point for further works on the construction of a 15-degree inclined façade made of aluminium and glass was a noteworthy challenge for the entire construction staff,” said Construction Manager at Unibep SA Krystian Sadoń. “These tasks required great precision from us, first at the stage of design calculations, and then during the construction works. All for the sake of the highest quality of use and the safety of the future users of the building,” added Krystian Sadoń.
The facility with the inclined façade also posed a considerable challenge in regard to construction of the stately staircase leading through the building three storeys high.
“Both finishing work on the slant reinforced concrete structure supporting the front of the building and the construction of the ceiling required a complicated scaffolding system,” explained the Site Manager.
Contract Manager Dariusz Gietka, Construction Manager Krystian Sadoń.
A building designed with online learning in mind
The new Radio Centre expands the training facilities of the Faculty of Electronics with a modern lecture hall, classrooms, and research and learning laboratories for telecommunications equipment, radio devices, and systems.
“The modern hall can accommodate over a hundred students The highest quality materials applied, the cladding, the advanced audio-visual and sound system ensure the right acoustics. The acoustic measurements were taken both before, during works, and after the completion of the task to achieve the expected indicators,” said Contract Manager at Unibep SA Dariusz Gietka. “In addition, the auditorium has received a separate ventilation system, controlled by carbon dioxide detectors. The ventilation in the facilities adjusts its flow intensity to the CO2 level accordingly. After exceeding the pre-set PPM threshold, ventilation increases the amount of air supplied into a room to provide comfort to its users and adequate air quality,” added Dariusz Gietka.
The auditorium armchairs are equipped with 230 V sockets which will allow the users to charge electronic devices.
The General Contractor was also responsible for designing the installation adaptation of the Radio Science and Education Centre to the needs of conducting online classes and ensuring the possibility of universal arrangement of room equipment for didactic needs. All that considering the conditions for designing and construction of a structural network for the needs of various systems in the Military University of Technology.
“To this end, during the construction, in cooperation with the Investor and designers, we designed and prepared the electrical installation, the structural IT installations with server rooms and the newest active devices, an advanced audio-visual system, and an automation system controlling all these installations. The automation system mentioned above can be used to control and monitor installations throughout the facility,” explained the Contract Manager.
This solution allows the lecturers to conduct conveniently classes both offline and online, without compromising the quality. They can efficiently adapt the classroom environment to their needs, controlling lighting, blinds, and projections within the reach of one panel. Furthermore, students will enjoy the highest comfort of use and the quality of reception, whether they participate in classes on-campus or remotely, owing to the use of the latest devices and their proper arrangement.
The facility has been also equipped with an automated key management system. This solution will make it possible for the users to automatically manage the access to facilities in the building.
A number of technological solutions have been installed in the Radio Science and Education Centre of the Military University of Technology to reduce the energy consumption costs.
“The building uses a modern low-temperature underfloor heating system with central control and facility local control. These facilities have been also provided with the possibility to use the local heat pump system for heating and cooling,” said Dariusz Gietka. “What is more, a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery has been installed in the entire facility,” said the Contract Manager.