Welcome to the Discovery Mall

Essential information about your new space. Download a printable PDF here.

Welcome to the Edmonton Clinic Health Academy

We're very excited to welcome you to this special building. From concept to opening day, ECHA is the result of a unique vision of how the Health Sciences at the University of Alberta can work together to improve health outcomes for Albertans and for all Canadians. Embedded in every aspect of this building is a commitment to collaborative research and study, to teaching and education, to community and to wellness. From environmental stewardship to simulated learning, from communities of research to knowledge translation, ECHA is purpose-built to support new ways of approaching safe, accessible, patient-centered health care.

We hope your transition to your new workspace is as smooth as possible. And we know you'll have questions. The ECHA Administration Office's role is to advocate for occupants, broker arrangements with key suppliers of goods and services, and work with faculties, departments and schools to ensure occupants' needs are met.

Your relationship with the administration team will be different than that of faculty specific occupants. Please read the information in this booklet carefully, and make note of key contact information.

Your Research Space in the Discovery Mall (DM)

Your Discovery Mall research space has flexible furnishings chosen to allow you to configure your team's work areas. There are meeting and interaction spaces, height adjustable work tables, multiple locking cabinets, drawers and workstation areas. Only preapproved furnishings or equipment (e.g. fax machines, printers) is permitted in the space.

Furniture may need to be adjusted or, in some cases, you may need or want to have pieces moved. Please note the following carefully:

  • Soft seating, small tables and filing cabinets can be moved only if you are physically able to safely lift them.
  • Under no circumstances should heavy items be dragged as this can permanently damage the flooring.
  • Some items may need to be disassembled to be moved. In these cases the work must be done by the furniture supplier; this is a requirement of the manufacturer's warranty.
  • The cost of repairs necessitated by damage to furniture or to carpets, walls, glass panels, windows etc. will be charged to your project team.
  • Do not take furniture from other workspaces or common areas (atriums and hallways), or move furniture out of your space.

Please contact echa.admin@ualberta.ca to request assistance with furniture moves or adjustments.

Hanging items in your space

Most of the interior walls on floors 3, 4 and 5 are 'demountable'. These walls require careful handling. Contact the ECHA Administration Office to clarify how and where items may be hung. Repairs necessitated by damage to the walls caused by nails, screws, hooks, anchors, or any other hangers will be charged to your project team.

3M Command Brand can be used on most surfaces. Thumbtacks or pushpins may be used on the fabric covered workstation screens. Magnets can be used on most metal surfaces and white boards.

Keys

Additional keys: Complete the Lock Change Key Requisition form and submit it to Facilities and Operations. Contact the ECHA Administration Office for assistance if needed for key codes/
numbering.

Ergonomics

Ergonomic furniture, including chairs and keyboard trays, must be supported by an ergonomic assessment. Information can be found here.

Recycling and garbage

You will find large bins for paper, cardboard, beverage containers, light metals, plastics and landfill in the hallways throughout ECHA.

Your research space has one or more blue bins for paper, and smaller black bins for landfill only. Blue bins are not emptied by custodial staff. Black bins are emptied by custodial staff only once every two weeks; please do not leave food or other potentially smelly garbage in the bins. For more info visit the Facilities and Operations website.

Heat and cooling systems

We can't promise that you will find the temperature perfect at all times. But we try. The temperature in ECHA is set at 22.5C during normal opening hours (7 a.m. - 5 p.m.). Outside opening hours, the building temperatures may be warmer in summer and cooler in winter. Why? Because the heating and cooling systems don't work the same way when the building is close as they do when it's open. This is to conserve energy and reduce costs. All temperature adjustments must be made by Facilities & Operations' Maintenance. Since it can take an hour or more for adjustments to have any impact, it's a good idea to be prepared for occasional fluctuations.

If you have persistent difficulties with temperature levels, please call 780-492-4833. Have your office or work space number on hand!

While we all enjoy the sunny skies here in Alberta, feel free to lower blinds if the sun starts to heat things up; they are design to block 95% of the available light.

Your telephone

Online tutorials for phones are available on the Information Services and Technology website. Only VOIP phones can be used in ECHA. Phones must be plugged into an appropriate data port. Please note that it can take several minutes for your phone to configure after you plug it in, or following a reconnection (after a power failure or if you move your phone). This is normal.

Connecting to the Internet

If you have a VOIP phone on your desk top, your computer (PC or laptop) the data cable should be plugged into the phone, and the phone plugged into the data cable in the wall. If you do not have a
telephone, your computer plugs directly into the data cable in the wall. All data ports should be activated. If you have any issues, contact echa.admin@ualberta.ca.

Right-to-Light

ECHA uses right-to-light design. Glass walls allow natural light into as many spaces as possible. Light wells and atria funnel natural light into interior areas of the building.

Lights in enclosed workspaces can, of course, be turned off and on manually. Since all lighting is controlled by motion, or occupancy sensors the lights will go off after prolonged inactivity in any space.

The Zone Controller is a three-zone lighting controller that provides "ON/OFF" switching for up to three light zones. These are typically found in meeting rooms. The LED display indicates status - yellow is ON and blue is OFF. Alternately flashing blue and yellow means the schedule is about to time out. Reactivate the zone by pressing the button.

Building maintenance

Building maintenance is managed by Facilities and Operations. For maintenance issues and custodial concerns (e.g. room temperature, water temperature, washroom maintenance, door locks, and elevator problems), please contact the Facilities & Operations Maintenance Desk: 780-492-4833.

Opening Hours

ECHA Levels L1, 1, and 2 are open to the public as follows:
Monday to Friday: 7 am - 7 pm (NE Doors)
Saturday and Sunday: 10 am - 5 pm (NE Doors)
Holidays: closed

ECHA Administrative Levels 3, 4, and 5 are OneCard access only:
Monday to Friday: 8 am - 5 pm*
Saturday, Sunday and Holidays: closed

During open hours, a proximity card is not required for access to the building. Outside of these hours, a proximity card with access control privileges is required to enter ECHA. Please contact your project team lead to request proximity card access.

*From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the doors off Main Street into the administrative areas on the 2nd floor are open and a proximity card is not required for access except in the elevators.

A proximity card is required for access to these areas outside of these hours.

Pedways

ECHA is linked to the Medical Sciences Building (MSB) via a pedway on the 2nd floor at the north end of the building. At the south end, a pedway connects ECHA with the Walter Mackenzie Building to the east, and the Kaye Edmonton Clinic to the south. This pedway also provides access to the LRT platform. LRT access to ECHA is OneCard access only. Access to MSB via the pedway is from 7a.m. to 6p.m. on weekdays. Access to MSB, Kaye Edmonton Clinic and the Walter Mackenzie Building cannot be approved or requested on your behalf by ECHA administration.