Energy Use Reduction

The University of Pennsylvania is constructing the $68.6 million Neural and Behavioral Sciences Building in Philadelphia. Designed by SmithGroup, the six-story interdisciplinary facility will support collaborative research in biology and psychology and will connect two existing structures. The 78,000-gsf building will house classrooms, research labs, offices, study areas, an auditorium, and interaction space. A minimum of LEED Silver sustainable certification will be sought for the facility, which will feature a metal mesh sunshade façade and a green roof.

Weber State University is building the $64 million Tracy Hall Science Center in Ogden, Utah. Designed by VCBO Architects of Salt Lake City, the 175,000-sf facility will provide advanced labs and classrooms as well as housing all eight departments of the College of Science. The laboratory programming and design consultant is Research Facilities Design (RFD) of San Diego. A minimum of LEED Silver sustainable design certification will be sought for the project.

Binghamton University broke ground in August of 2014 on the $70 million Smart Energy Research and Development Facility in Vestal, N.Y. Housing the departments of physics and chemistry, the two-story, 114,000-sf project will include laboratories, 45 faculty offices, and a total of 125 fume hoods. The building will accommodate research programs in solar and thermoelectric energy harvesting, energy storage, energy efficiency in electronic systems, and sensor development for energy resource management.

The University of Iowa completed construction of the $126 million Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building in July of 2014 in Iowa City. The six-story, 200,000-sf facility provides advanced research laboratories for faculty from the UI Carver College of Medicine. The interdisciplinary project was designed by Gwathmey-Siegel in collaboration with Rohrbach & Associates with Payette as laboratory design consultant.

Rice University opened the Anderson-Clarke Center for Continuing Studies in August of 2014 in Houston. Designed by Overland Partners of San Antonio, the three-story, 54,800-sf building provides 24 classrooms, offices, conference rooms, a language center, an auditorium, and a commons area. Housing the Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies, the $24 million project creates a new campus gateway and is expected to attain LEED Silver sustainable design certification.

The 350,000-sf Conventus facility is under construction in Buffalo, N.Y. The seven-story building will provide clinical, office, and research space and is strategically located on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus to support collaboration with academic and industry partners. The project team includes Kideney Architects, construction manager LPCiminelli, Siracuse Engineers, M/E Engineering, and C&S Companies. LEED Gold sustainable design certification will be sought for the facility.

NASA Glenn Research Center opened the $20.5 million Mission Integration Center in Cleveland in July of 2014. The three-story, 90,000-sf facility provides collaborative research and office space to accommodate 300 employees. The project has attained LEED Gold sustainable design certification and will use 30 percent less energy and 40 percent less water than a conventional building. Construction began on the facility in September of 2010.

Lahey Hospital is planning a $60 million expansion of its academic medical center campus in Burlington, Mass. Designed by FreemanWhite and built by Suffolk Construction, the 190,000-sf facility will provide a new emergency department as well as mechanical areas and shell space to accommodate future growth. The project will be delivered using Model-Based Estimating and Lean construction methodologies. LEED Silver sustainable design certification will be sought for the facility, which is slated for completion in spring of 2017.

With careful planning, institution-wide involvement, and innovative thinking, sustainability goals for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) facilities can be met by renovating and remodeling instead of more expensive new construction, without compromising the educational mission.

Georgia Gwinnett College opened the $30 million Allied Health and Science Building in August of 2014 in Lawrenceville. The three-story, 91,000-sf interdisciplinary facility provides laboratories for biology, chemistry, physics, and anatomy and physiology, as well as housing classrooms, faculty offices, and study areas. The second floor of the building accommodates the nursing program and includes a technology-rich classroom for team-based learning and a simulation training center with a 14-bed clinical practice lab.