REXBURG, Idaho — Brigham Young University–Idaho (BYU–Idaho) will host a celebation on Feb. 14 to dedicate three new buildings on its Rexburg campus: the Science and Technology Center (STC), Central Energy Facility and Agricultural Science Center. All three were built to improve the student experience and help prepare students for their professional lives beyond the classroom.

The STC includes multifunctional labs, classrooms, open study areas and faculty office space for the Departments of Animal and Food Science, Applied Plant Science, Computer Information Technology, and Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, according to the university. Laboratories and equipment in the STC provide students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences with an applied learning environment that increases student engagement. The new workspace also enables Computer Science and Electrical Engineering students to engage in a variety of collaborative projects. The STC even serves the Computer Information Technology Department’s work on cyber-security monitoring, server and network management, and coding.

Construction of the Central Energy Facility was completed last summer using newer, more efficient equipment compared to the previous building’s coal-fired boilers. The natural gas power plant was even recognized by Rocky Mountain Power Company in August of 2016 for its initiative to increase energy efficiency across campus.

The Agricultural Science Center, formerly known as the Livestock Center, is located roughly five miles west of the BYU-Idaho campus and sits on 140 acres. Reconstruction on several buildings and construction of 13 new structures took place throughout the past two years. The Agricultural Science Center features an indoor arena and classrooms used for instruction, along with structures that house livestock, providing students with hands-on experience in the field of agriculture and animal science.

An open house and tour of both the STC and Central Energy Facility will take place on Feb. 14, while a separate open house will be held for the Agricultural Science Center later this spring.