Industry News

Enerkem is partnering with GreenField Ethanol to construct the $10 million Advanced Energy Research Facility in Edmonton, Alberta. Ground was broken on the pilot-scale plant in September of 2009 with completion expected in early 2010. The facility will support research on the conversion of commercial waste into biofuels and chemicals.

The $100 million Mercy Medical Center West Lakes opened in September of 2009 in West Des Moines, Iowa. The seven-story, 239,000-sf hospital houses 82 inpatient beds, a 24-hour emergency department, surgical suites, cardiovascular and orthopedic care facilities, and a birthing center. Mercy Medical Center West Lakes is part of Mercy Health Network, which is a member organization of Catholic Health Initiatives.

Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island opened its 140,000-sf South Pavilion in Providence in September of 2009. Designed by Anshen + Allen with Walsh Brothers as construction manager, the five-story facility features a 50,000-sf neonatal intensive care unit with 70 single-family private rooms. Providing specialty obstetric care for high-risk pregnancies, the tower also houses a 30-room Antenatal Care Unit. LEED Silver sustainable design certification will be sought for the project.

Medplast completed an expansion of its 50,000-sf manufacturing facility in Tempe, Ariz., in September of 2009. The project features two Class 100,000 cleanrooms for injection molding and automated assembly as well as white room manufacturing suites.

The Office of Health and Safety of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently planning the 11th International Symposium on Biosafety to be held in Atlanta on January 23-27, 2010. The focus of the symposium is “Management Challenges for Safe Operation of BSL3/ABSL3 Facilities.” In addition to the symposium, there will be two days of pre-conference courses.