Energy Use Reduction

California State University San Marcos is planning to construct the Integrated Science and Engineering (IS&E) building to drive innovation and growth in advanced technology and the life sciences. The 70,000-gsf structure will house the College of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics’ growing programs in electrical engineering, computer science, systems engineering, and software engineering. Designed by HGA, the three-story facility will address regional demand for graduates in engineering, computing, and related fields.

Rice University opened the Rice Nexus in February of 2025 in Houston's Midtown neighborhood. Spanning 10,000 sf across two floors, the university’s flagship innovation hub is based in the Ion building to drive entrepreneurship and commercialization in association with industry partners. Tramonte Design Studio's vision for the Rice Nexus created labs for advanced tech development and free office space for early-stage startups, as well as showcasing faculty and student inventions.

Pennsylvania Western University is constructing a 63,500-sf science building to advance education and research in the natural sciences. Located on the PennWest California campus, the $39 million facility was designed by DRAW Collective to foster experiential learning and put science on display. Driving interdisciplinary collaboration, the three-story structure will house 17 labs and 19 science support areas tailored for disciplines including biology, physics, chemistry, microbiology, ecology, and anatomy and physiology.

University of Chicago Medicine is constructing the AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion to catalyze high-impact research programs and reimagine the spectrum of patient care. CannonDesign is partnering with Yazdani Studio and Blue Cottage on the $815 million project, which will be the first freestanding structure in Illinois dedicated solely to cancer treatment and research. Teams of clinicians, investigators, and physician-scientists will come together to optimize patient outcomes.

Northeastern University is constructing a permanent campus for the Roux Institute in Portland, Maine. Designed by CambridgeSeven, the $500 million project will feature the 245,000-sf Alfond Center, a vibrant hub for learning, research, and collaboration. The six-story facility will accommodate programs in artificial intelligence, computer and data sciences, digital engineering, life sciences, and medicine.

Chico State University opened the $98 million building for the College of Behavioral & Social Sciences in February of 2025 in California. Designed by AC Martin, the 94,000-sf structure provides 22 classrooms, five teaching labs, conference and breakout rooms, faculty offices, and a 130-seat tiered lecture hall. The open-plan facility accommodates nine academic departments, strategically collocating resources to maximize space use.

The successful decarbonization of labs and other critical science environments to increase energy efficiency, occupant safety, and annual savings requires a goal-oriented project team with the cultural mindset to adopt effectual technology/engineering processes, procurement strategies, and incentive-based outcomes. Science and engineering facilities often encounter substantial obstacles, such as cost restraints, safety issues, restrictive regulations, and tight deadlines, when completing the massive energy transition necessary to decarbonize their labs. 

Imperial College London is planning to construct the pioneering Fleming Centre to accelerate groundbreaking research into antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Envisioned as a global beacon for healthcare change, the highly flexible building will bring leading investigators, clinicians, and behavioral experts together with pharmaceutical partners and domestic and international policymakers.

Barnard College is constructing the Roy & Diana Vagelos Science Center in New York to foster excellence in STEM education, innovation, and scholarship. Representing an investment of approximately $240 million, the expansion and renovation will transform the existing Altschul Hall into a modern hub for innovative teaching and research. The 169,000-sf structure will house all of Barnard’s bench sciences, including the departments of biology, chemistry, environmental science, neuroscience and behavior, and physics and astronomy. 

San Francisco State University celebrated the dedication of the Science and Engineering Innovation Center (SEIC) in January of 2025. Delivered by the design-build team of SmithGroup and DPR Construction, the $169 million facility provides advanced laboratories and leading-edge classrooms for the school's STEM education programs. As the new home for the College of Science & Engineering (CoSE), the 125,000-sf building houses the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, the School of Engineering, and the dean’s office.

HITT Contracting broke ground in January of 2025 on the company's new headquarters in Falls Church, Va. Designed by Gensler, the 270,000-sf facility is envisioned as a nationally recognized innovation hub for the advancement of building practices that will shape the future of the industry. The project involves the transformation of an existing office structure, previously a satellite campus operated by Virginia Tech, into a collaborative educational center for the built environment.

BioMed Realty is constructing a 637,000-sf life sciences facility in Cambridge for Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Designed by CBT Architects, the 16-story structure will provide advanced lab and office environments to accelerate the creation of innovative therapies and vaccines. Featuring flexible spaces to optimize in-person interaction and connection in a hybrid working model, the leased building furthers Takeda’s goal of unifying their Global R&D Center in Kendall Square.

The New Education and Research Building (NERB) at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School has emerged as a sustainable, high-performance medical research facility that is energy efficient in a demanding climate. Beyond its brilliant façade lie 350,000 sf of light-filled lab and work spaces spanning nine floors, servicing the departments of gene therapy/genetics, molecular medicine, neurobiology, and neurology/neurosurgery. A sustainability leader in the region, the building is designed to have a very low annual energy usage intensity (EUI) of 130 kBtu/sq-yr. It is expected to achieve LEED Gold Certification and be net-zero ready for energy and carbon.

Virginia Tech opened the first building on its Innovation Campus in Alexandria in January of 2025. SmithGroup designed the 300,000-gsf facility to provide leading-edge environments for academic and research programs in computer science and engineering, as well as space for the Pamplin College of Business. Featuring specialized laboratories, a drone testing cage, and a two-story maker space, the 11-story development houses 14 classrooms, wellness venues for students and faculty, and the 3,000-sf Boeing Auditorium.

Arizona State University completed construction in January of 2025 on the $78 million University Gateway Building (UGB) in Tempe. Forging a vibrant link between the west campus entrance and the Mill Avenue district of downtown, the 128,000-sf structure integrates classroom, administrative, mixed-use, and retail space to meet educational needs while maximizing land use.