Between 2000 and 2007, ZW assisted Carleton University in completing 17 separate new construction and renovation projects to expand and revitalize the campus. Many of the projects in this $250M program ran concurrently and on fast-tracked schedules. The Elba Building was part of this revitalization.

he addition and renovation consisted primarily of wet labs, all research, and graduate student spaces. The existing building presented many challenges; such as the moving of hazardous materials and labs to swing spaces during construction, or ensuring that the biology greenhouses remained in operation during the whole construction phase. Many of the obstacles encountered in this project where associated with existing conditions and were overcome by continuing to work out solutions that made sense. Being a teaching facility, this building was opened to coincide with the Winter Term.