Fort Collins, Colo.
Colorado State University's Research Innovation Center was awarded LEED Gold sustainable design certification in August of 2011. Located on the Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, the 60,000-sf RIC facility houses a 7,700-sf animal research vivarium and several BSL-2 labs. The project architect was The FWA Group. The project includes a 54 kilowatt solar array, low-flow toilets, and low-VOC interior finishes. The operating cost of the building is expected to be 42 percent less than a comparable conventional facility.