Meridian Technology Center located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, recently hosted the grand opening of a new 40,000-square-foot facility on its campus. Dewberry, a nationwide professional services firm, designed the facility to replace the original 13,800-square-foot construction trades building. The new facility provides more classroom and lab space for students who study in the construction trades programs, which includes air conditioning, refrigeration, electrical technology, and masonry, along with both residential and commercial construction.

Dewberry provided architecture and interior design, construction administration, as well as structural and civil engineering services. These services included rezoning, water system negotiation with the City of Stillwater, facilitating construction manager selection, and conceptual landscape design for permitting.

The building was designed with a reinforced safe room to sustain tornadoes, a geothermal system with full air conditioning, and a gas infrared heating system in the labs for efficiency. The design process included studies of exterior envelope construction, envelope insulation, and HVAC systems to show return on investment and initial cost estimates.

The grand opening ceremony attracted more than 100 current and former students, representatives from the board of education, Meridian Technology Center administrators and numerous business and education council members.