A presentation on the status of campus construction projects will be given by the Senate Committee on University Planning at today's University Faculty Senate meeting.

"Basically, it's just a summary report on some of the construction that's going on around campus," Daniel Hagen, committee chair, said.

Hagen added that the report will address the progress and projected completion dates of various projects on campus.

According to the Senate agenda, the presentation will be given by Office of Physical Plant (OPP) Vice President H. Ford Stryker and Design and Construction Services Director Steve Maruszewski.

Stryker was not available for comment yesterday, but OPP spokesman Paul Ruskin said the presentation would include a photo report on several facilities, including the new Smeal College of Business Building, the Penn Stater Hotel Conference Center, Eastview Terrace, Redifer Commons and the Blue Band Building.

Faculty Senate Chair Kim Steiner said the Committee on University Planning addresses the Senate twice a year, once concerning University Park construction in the fall and about non-University Park construction in the spring.

To prepare for today's presentation, Hagen said the committee met several times throughout the semester to discuss budget and finances, the university calendar and other construction issues.

Ruskin said the committee would present an update on the $27.5 million School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA) Building, which is scheduled to open in March 2005.

Ruskin said the building, which is "energy sustainable," will be able to detect temperature and weather changes, and then adjust its structure accordingly.

For example, Ruskin said the building would close its windows during a rainstorm.

"It's a new way of designing buildings in which the building is able to coexist with the environment," he said. "It's designed in a way to minimize [energy] usage."

He added that the SALA Building would be a pioneer for all future Penn State infrastructure but was unsure if it would be discussed at today's meeting.

"Our goal is to make all buildings here on out sustainable," Ruskin said. "It's a big change in the way we do things."

The Faculty Senate meeting is open to the public and is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in 112 Kern.