Industry News

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is planning to build the Translational Research Capability project in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Located on ORNL’s main campus, the three-story laboratory and office building will provide between 80,000 and 115,000 gsf of space to support growing research programs in materials science and computing. A request for qualifications will be released in April of 2019 for the design-build project, which has an estimated construction cost of $58 million. Work will begin on the facility in early 2020 with completion expected by December of 2022. 

Capital One opened the Tech Incubator at the University of Maryland in College Park in November of 2018. Supporting collaborative research in data science, machine learning, and AI, the flexible 7,500-sf facility features 32 sit-to-stand desks in an open office area that can be converted into a meeting venue. Located in UMD’s Discovery District in a mixed-use development called the Diamondback Garage, the facility provides laboratories, a conference room, a lounge, a kitchen, and a game room.

Montana State University opened the $53 million Norm Asbjornson Hall in January of 2019 in Bozeman. Designed by ZGF Architects and A&E Architects with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory design consultant, the three-story, 110,000-sf facility houses both the College of Engineering and the Honors College. LEED Gold sustainable design certification will be sought for the project, which provides 17 teaching labs, 10 classrooms, offices, and a presentation hall.

Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics is creating a stem cell manufacturing center in Madison, Wis. Located in the University Research Park, the $21 million project involves the renovation of 31,500 sf in a facility near the company's existing lab and office building. The completed biomanufacturing plant will meet the requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Completion is expected by March of 2020.

The University of Sheffield will begin construction in early 2019 on a £65 million social sciences building in the United Kingdom. Designed by HLM Architects, the four-story, 178,000-sf facility will accommodate 13 departments and multiple research institutes in an innovative working environment. The interdisciplinary building will provide a central atrium, collaborative lecture halls, seminar rooms, social spaces, study areas, computer rooms, a research hub, and a café.