The name Eastern Wake 4.0 denotes the term Industry 4.0, a reference to a fourth industrial revolution with the intelligent networking of machines and processes with information and communications technology. This includes 5G, big data, and cloud computing, resulting in a future of the Internet of Things and smart manufacturing, smart transportation, and smart cities.
Skanska will build a 15,700-square-foot energy plant to house chillers and boilers that will provide distributed hot and cold water for heating and cooling purposes throughout the college’s campus. Energy saving systems will be incorporated throughout the plant. Advanced geothermal technologies will supplement the heating and cooling load requirements, and building mounted solar photovoltaics will be used to provide a portion of the electrical capacity for the power plant.
“Eastern Wake 4.0 will be a showcase for Wake Tech’s expanding reputation as the premier community college in the state,” said Greg Peele, General Manager/Executive Vice President responsible for Skanska’s North Carolina and Virginia building operations. “We are honored to support the school’s efforts for this new educational and training site which will serve as a driving force for North Carolina’s high tech economy.”
In addition to the energy plant, Skanska is developing the campus’s 55 acres for infrastructure, roadways and access points, and the construction of appropriate site drainage and retention ponds.
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Wake Tech 4.0 will support smart manufacturing and space for biopharmaceutical programs. The campus will also include a Public Safety Building with a realistic Simulation Center and Public Safety Driving Track. It will also serve as the new home of the college’s Emergency Management Technician program and labs for Unmanned Aircraft Systems training. Future development plans include a STEM Building, a Workforce Continuing Education Center, and an Innovation Center.
The largest community college in North Carolina, Wake Tech currently has six campuses and three training centers across Wake County. The college serves more than 74,000 students each year — the equivalent of one in 10 Wake County adults.
The project started in August 2021 and is scheduled to be completed by December 2022.
Skanska is a construction and development company with core operations in the U.S. including building construction, civil infrastructure, and developing self-financed commercial properties. With U.S. headquarters in New York City, Skanska has 29 offices with 7,600 employees nationwide. Global revenue of parent company Skanska AB, headquartered in Stockholm, and listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange, totaled approximately $17.2 billion in 2020.
