Research and Development

Colorado State University's Research Innovation Center was awarded LEED Gold sustainable design certification in August of 2011. Located on the Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, the 60,000-sf RIC facility houses a 7,700-sf animal research vivarium and several BSL-2 labs. The project architect was The FWA Group. The project includes a 54 kilowatt solar array, low-flow toilets, and low-VOC interior finishes. The operating cost of the building is expected to be 42 percent less than a comparable conventional facility.

Micron is building a research and development facility in Boise, Idaho. The project will feature a 50,000-sf advanced materials characterization lab and cleanroom. Completion is expected in early 2012.

Texas A&M Health Science Center (TAM HSC) has successfully implemented AssetWorks' AiM™ software solution. The implementation includes the systematic organization of design and construction digital data representing all the facility assets for TAM HSC. The AssetWorks Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) system was implemented meeting or exceeding all target metrics of system performance, timing, and cost.

Methodist Hospital Research Institute will complete construction of a BSL-4 imaging suite in its Houston facility in August of 2011. The $8.6 million project was created in partnership with Philips Healthcare and will enable patients with highly infectious diseases to be imaged in a contained environment. The suite includes an MRI, a PET/CT scanner, and a SPECT/CT scanner. The equipment will be located in airtight compartments to prevent the spread of pathogens.

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) will begin construction in spring of 2012 on a $50 million research and education facility in Idaho Falls. The three-story, 148,000-sf project will support research on energy and energy security. The building will also include an auditorium and a visitor area. The facility will enable INL to consolidate several existing labs in a single location. Completion is expected in summer of 2013.

West Virginia University's new research cleanrooms are nearing completion. Part of a $33 million renovation of White Hall, the project will create a Class 100 Photolithography lab, a Class 1000 wet process lab, a Class 10,000 dry process lab, and a large Class 100,000 growth area lab. The labs will feature Bio-Gard germicidal wall lamination. The renovation was designed by IKM Architects with Jendoco Construction as general contractor; both firms are based in Pittsburgh.

Michigan State University is planning to break ground in summer of 2012 on the $615 million Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) in East Lansing. The project will be located in the existing MSU Cyclotron facility which will be renovated and expanded. Completion is expected in 2018. The facility will support advanced physics and nuclear science research for the U.S. Department of Energy.

The University of North Carolina Wilmington will begin construction in fall of 2011 on the $30 million Marine Biotechnology Center of North Carolina (MARBIONC). The 69,000-sf project will focus on the application of marine biotechnology to food, health, and energy. The facility will house 12 labs, offices, meeting rooms, and research space for industry partners.

The Alabama Robotics Technology Park opened the $8.3 million Advanced Research and Technology Center in August of 2011 in Decatur, Ala. Created in partnership with Calhoun Community College, the 30,000-sf facility provides robotics research, development, and testing space. General contractor EMJ Corporation began building the facility in June of 2010. The project represents the second phase of construction at the site, which also houses the 68,000-sf Robotic Maintenance and Training Center.

The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration opened a $35 million research base in August of 2011 in Newport, Ore. The 40,852-sf Marine Operations Center-Pacific includes laboratories, offices, warehouses, a pier, and a boat dock. The facility will provide logistical, engineering, and administrative support for four research and survey ships. LEED sustainable design certification will be sought for the center.

The Naval Undersea Warfare Center opened the $11 million Maritime Subsurface Sensor Operations Laboratory in August of 2011. Construction began on the single-story, 40,000-sf facility in July of 2009. The secure laboratory provides space for the testing, maintenance, and refurbishment of sonar arrays.

SHI International opened its 420,000-sf cloud computing data center and world headquarters in July of 2011. The facility is located in Somerset, N.J., in an existing building that underwent extensive renovations.

Novo Nordisk will invest $215 million to create its new U.S. headquarters in an existing 770,000-sf facility in Plainsboro, N.J. The building is located in the Princeton Forrestal Center and will house approximately 1,500 employees. Construction will begin in September of 2011 with occupancy expected in spring of 2013. The project team includes architect of record HOK, exterior design architect Granum A/I, and developers LCOR, Ivy Equities, and Intercontinental Real Estate Corp.

The Naval Facilities Engineering Command has awarded Suffolk Construction Company a $20 million contract to build a research and development facility in Newport, Mass. The Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport will accommodate the creation, testing, and repair of electromagnetic submarine sensors. The facility will include labs, offices, administrative space, and a five-story periscope tower. Completion is expected in August of 2013.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee broke ground on Innovation Park in August of 2011. Located in Wauwatosa, the 80-acre site represents a total capital investment of $500 million. Construction will begin in 2012 on the first facility at Innovation Park, a 25,000-sf business accelerator. A construction start date for the second $75 million building has not yet been set.