Industry News

The University of Tennessee began site work for the Joint Institute for Advanced Materials in Knoxville in March of 2009. Construction will begin the following autumn on the facility which is supported by $20 million in federal funds and $10 million in state funds. Completion is expected in August of 2011. The project is part of the Cherokee Farm development, a 188-acre interdisciplinary research campus created to foster collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and industry partners.

Southern Utah University is planning to construct the $20 million Gibson Science Center in Cedar City. The 42,385-sf facility will be built as an addition to the University’s Science Center and will house the departments of biology, chemistry, and nursing. The four-story project will provide 23 laboratories, 34 offices, three classrooms, two animal care rooms, a greenhouse, and a museum. Site work will begin in summer of 2009 with completion slated for July of 2010.

Methodist Stone Oak Hospital opened its new healthcare facility in San Antonio on March 9, 2009. Designed by HOK Architects and constructed by Skanska USA Building, the hospital features 132 private rooms and can expand to accommodate up to 350 beds. Housing surgery, cardiology, oncology, intensive and acute care, and obstetrics, the hospital is accompanied by a 120,000-sf medical office building.

The Canadian parliament is considering legislation that would regulate registration of select agents and promote safety and security. Bill C-11, the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act, would require individuals to obtain clearances for select agent access, with disease agents categorized by threat level. The legislation would also establish handling procedures for each level. For more information, view Bill C-11.

The Canadian government allocated up to $2 billion in its 2009 budget to repair, retrofit, and expand facilities at post-secondary institutions. The funding represents a strategic investment in knowledge infrastructure.