Research and Development

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has selected Merrick & Company to develop the Program of Requirements (POR) for the renovation of the Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory (SEPRL) in Athens, Ga. The $158 million modernization project includes new construction and renovation of existing facilities on an active, 60-year-old campus that encompasses biosafety laboratories, brooding and breeding facilities, administrative offices, and support space.

The University of Idaho is building the $49 million Integrated Research and Innovation Center (IRIC) on its Moscow campus. Designed by NBBJ, the 69,000-sf interdisciplinary research facility will provide flexible laboratory, office, and meeting space that can be adapted for use by faculty, staff, and student researchers from across the university. The building will feature a state-of-the-art visualization laboratory, core research space, and video conferencing suites.

The Army Institute of Public Health has awarded a $206 million contract to a joint venture of The Walsh Group and Gilbane Building Company for the Public Health Command (PHC) laboratory replacement project. Located on 20 acres at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, the 275,000-sf biomedical research facility will include wet labs, field labs, offices, anechoic chambers, laser labs, a vivarium, an insectary, and a 43,000-gsf central utility plant.

The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) is partnering with the University of Connecticut to create the $7.7 million Single Cell Genomics Center in Farmington. The facility will be located in JAX’s Genomic Medicine facility on the UConn Health campus. JAX is also planning to develop the Center for Precision Genetics at the site, supported by a $10 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Western Kentucky University will begin construction in December of 2015 on a new science building on its Bowling Green campus. Housing the College of Science and Engineering, the four-story, 77,000-sf Ogden Hall will provide classrooms, teaching labs, faculty offices, and student lounges. The project is being designed by Ross Tarrant Architects with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory design consultant. A contractor will be selected in fall of 2015 with occupancy expected in fall of 2017.

Specialized biomedical core facilities accelerate scientific research and make the most of funding resources, but it takes considerable expertise in both technology and business to attain these results. To ensure the centralized model provides the most productive and cost-effective support to researchers, University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto has assembled a toolkit of proven strategies and operating principles. The foremost requirements are a robust knowledge base in science and technology and a strong business orientation. 

AMS AG (formerly Austriamicrosystem) will begin construction in spring of 2016 on a 360,000-sf wafer fab in Marcy, N.Y. Located on the 428-acre Nano Utica site, the project will support the production of analog devices on 200mm to 300mm wafers. Constructed by Fort Schuyler Management, the development will include office buildings and support space for a total buildout of approximately 600,000 sf. Production is expected to begin in late 2017.

Grand Valley State University dedicated the $55 million P. Douglas Kindschi Hall of Science in August of 2015 in Allendale, Mich. The four-story, 152,000-sf facility provides 15 teaching labs, 14 research labs, nine classrooms, conference rooms, study areas, a computational lab, and a 3,000-sf greenhouse. Research Facilities Design was the laboratory design consultant for the facility, which features interactive labs supporting a shared functionality in which faculty and students can engage in collaborative projects.

Biopharmaceutical firm Baxalta is developing a 200,000-sf research and development center in Cambridge, Mass. Located at Kendall Square, the leased facility will support the commercialization of preclinical discoveries made in partnership with academic institutions and independent biotech firms. The project is expected to house approximately 500 employees upon completion in late 2015. Baxalta is a subsidiary of Baxter International, based in Deerfield, Ill.

The Department of Energy opened the $10 million Systems Engineering Building in August of 2015. Located at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash., the 22,000-sf facility provides labs, computational space, and offices to support research on power grid dynamics and renewable energy technologies. The project, which has been awarded LEED Gold sustainable design certification, houses the Building Operations Control Center and the Power Electronics Laboratory.

Lancer Sales USA introduced a new line of laboratory steam sterilizers in August of 2015. Developed for the high performance sterilization of labware, processed materials, and research byproducts, the sterilizers can be installed in newly constructed laboratories or in existing facilities. The units are available in single and double door pass-through configurations with four cabinet sizes, and all models stand 74” high with vanishing vertical doors that eliminate the need for elevation clearance.

Texas A&M University opened an 11,000-sf avian health complex for the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences in August of 2015. Located in College Station, the climate-controlled aviary facility provides a BSL-2 biocontainment lab, a bird hospital, quarantine suites, three isolation rooms, classrooms, and offices.

The College of New Jersey is planning to build a facility for STEM education in Ewing to support programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Designed by EYP Architecture & Engineering, the 89,000-sf project will feature collaborative research suites for biomedical engineering and computer science, as well as labs for physiology, robotics, system dynamics, and thermo-fluids. The facility will include a high-performance computing cluster, a mechanical engineering design studio, and a metal fabrication and assembly workshop.

Xerox Canada is planning to build the Advanced Materials Manufacturing Centre in Mississauga, Ontario. The project is supported by CA$25 million in funding from the National Research Council of Canada and will enable the development of smart materials for the medical, automotive, aerospace, and defense industries. Designed to accelerate the commercialization of research discoveries, the facility will provide infrastructure and expertise to both the private and public sectors.

Clayton State University opened its $18 million Science Building in August of 2015 in Morrow, Ga. Designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative, the 58,610-sf facility provides eight research labs, eight teaching labs, two 64-seat classrooms, two 36-seat classrooms, and two seminar rooms. The three-story building houses stacked biology and chemistry suites, each integrating research, prep, and teaching space.