Higher Education

Despite years of planning, in-depth professional experience, and multiple layers of oversight, things often do not work as planned at biocontainment laboratories. Even when they meet all safety and security requirements, facilities may run into unexpected life cycle costs which only become evident after a year or two of occupancy and operation, says Tim Mandrell, DVM, director of lab animal care for the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHTC) Regional Biocontainment Laboratory. Knowing what problems to look and prepare for can help minimize costly facility downtime.

The University at Albany is planning to build the 200,000-sf Zero-Energy Nanotechnology (ZEN) building. A request for proposals was issued in November of 2012 with responses due by January 4, 2013. The cost of the facility is estimated at $80 million. Acting as a living laboratory, the ZEN building will provide labs, classrooms, and offices for clean energy research as well as housing the U.S. Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium. The facility will have a net energy consumption of zero while supporting a robust technological infrastructure.

The $168 million Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center opened in November of 2012 in Holyoke. Representing a partnership of MIT, Harvard, Boston University, Northeastern University, and the University of Massachusetts, the collaborative 90,000-sf data center supports computational research, software development, and the creation of exascale computer technology. Exascale computing systems would be capable of reaching at least one exaflops, representing a thousandfold increase over petascale systems.

Texas Tech is building the $22.8 million Petroleum Engineering and Research Building in Lubbock. Designed by Kirksey Architecture, the 40,000-sf facility will provide research laboratories and classrooms for the Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering, including the unconventional technology center; a fracturing techniques suite; a fluids lab; a reservoir simulation center and drilling lab; a rheology lab; and a pressure volume temperature lab. The building will also house the Apache Upstream Research Center.

The University of North Carolina dedicated the $76 million Energy Production and Infrastructure Center in November of 2012 in Charlotte. Designed by Narmour Wright Creech Architects, the 200,000-sf teaching and research facility houses the departments of Electrical Engineering and Civil and Environmental Engineering. The collaborative four-story building provides classrooms, offices, laboratories, and high bay space. General contractor Turner Construction broke ground on the project in February of 2010.

The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology opened the $80 Design Hub in November of 2012. The collaborative facility will support applied research in architecture, creative media, game design, engineering, landscape architecture, industrial design, textiles and fashion design, interior design, and urban design. RMIT is also building the $6.5 million, 10,763-sf Micro Nano Research Facility housing Class 100 and Class 10,000 cleanrooms; occupancy is expected in November of 2013.

The University of Oklahoma broke ground on the $15 million Radar Innovations Lab in October of 2012. Located on the OU Research Campus in Norman, the collaborative 35,000-sf facility will feature high bay laboratory space, prototyping fabrication areas, a testing suite, and two precision anechoic chambers. Completion is expected in fall of 2013.

The University of Hawaii is planning to build the $47.5 Pacific Health Research Lab in Kalaeloa in West Oahu. The 31,000-sf facility will provide biocontainment laboratories for the study of emerging infectious diseases. The project will be a Regional Biosafety Laboratory and is supported by funding from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

The Secchia Center, the new home of Michigan State University's expanded College of Human Medicine and the cornerstone for life sciences in West Michigan, is expected to increase enrollment to 800 students in 2014. Its establishment in Grand Rapids serves the needs of MSU CHM students and collaborative initiatives with the College's health partners.

Queen's University Belfast is building the $51 million Centre for Experimental Medicine in the United Kingdom. The four-story facility will support research in genetics, diabetes, and degenerative eye diseases. The facility is located at Belfast City Hospital. Occupancy is expected in 2016.

The University of Ottawa opened its $120 million social sciences facility in fall of 2012. Designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, the 15-story project is an expansion of the existing Vanier Hall and includes 277,700 sf of new construction and 145,000 sf of renovation. The collaborative building provides research space for neuroscience, economics, experimental psychology, management, and public policy. The facility features a 225-seat tiered lecture hall, a 120-seat classroom, a multistory atrium, and a green roof.

Grand Valley State University is planning to build a $55 million biology building in Allendale, Mich. Designed by Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr and Huber, the 144,000-sf facility will provide smart classrooms, teaching and research labs, and faculty offices. The laboratory programming and design consultant for the project is RFD (Research Facilities Design) and the construction manager is Pioneer Construction. Completion is expected in fall of 2015.

Louisiana Tech dedicated the 42,000-sf College of Business in November of 2012 in Ruston. The $12.5 million facility houses classrooms, teaching labs, research centers, offices, computer labs, conference rooms, and auditoriums. The technology-rich facility was designed by Yeager, Watson and Associates and features a digital forensics lab and video boards displaying business news and stock market information. Ground was broken on the project in February of 2011.

The University of Hawaii at Manoa is building the $103 million Cancer Research Center in Honolulu. Designed by Shimokawa Nakamura in partnership with ZGF Architects and Jacobs Consultancy, the five-story, 150,000-sf facility will provide advanced biomedical research laboratories and offices. The lead contractor is A.C. Kobayashi Construction of Honolulu. Ground was broken on the project in October of 2010 and occupancy is expected in February of 2013.

Michigan State University is planning to build a $15.5 million testing and assembly building to support the planned Facility for Rare Isotope Beams. Located at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory in East Lansing, the 27,000-sf high bay project will accommodate research on superconducting radio frequency components for particle accelerators.