Industry News

Washington University in St. Louis broke ground on a 150,875-sf energy and environmental science facility in late October of 2008. Housing the School of Engineering & Applied Science, the Stephen and Camilla Brauer Building will connect to the existing biomedical engineering facility, Whitaker Hall. The project will provide research and instructional laboratories, classrooms, conference rooms, and faculty offices for the School of Engineering's Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering (EECE).

The Department of Energy is constructing the $224 million Physical Sciences Facility for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash. The three-building, 200,000-sf project includes facilities for radiation detection, materials science and technology, and nuclear and chemical weapons compliance testing. Ground was broken on the project in August of 2007 with construction commencing in August of 2008. Completion is expected in 2010.

Highline Community College’s Marine Science and Technology Center (MaST) opened in Redondo, Wash., in late summer of 2008. The 2,500-sf facility features five aquariums, three ‘touch’ tanks, and direct saltwater access. The building houses research and classroom space for oceanography, marine biology, and environmental science. Construction began on the $2 million project in 2006.

Merck Serono and U.S. affiliate EMD Serono initiated construction in fall of 2008 on a $78 million research expansion in Billerica, Ma. The 125,000-sf project is slated for completion in late 2010 and will include laboratories for pharmaceutical discovery and production.

The University of South Carolina broke ground in late 2008 on the $30 million Horizon II facility in Columbia, S.C. The five-story, 110,000-sf building is being built by general contractor Kirco. Completion is expected in 2009. Two five-story academic and research buildings, Horizon I and Discovery I, are also expected to reach completion in 2009.