Research and Development

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Research Support Facility has attained LEED Platinum sustainable design certification. Located in Golden, Colo., the 222,000-sf project achieved all 59 targeted LEED points, including those for site selection, energy, materials and resources, and innovation. This is the highest score of the 10 U.S. federal facilities that have earned the LEED Platinum rating for new construction. The RSF also had a perfect score in the energy category, achieving all 17 points.

The University of Texas of the Permian Basin completed construction of the $54 million Science and Technology Building in July of 2011. Housing the departments of chemistry, physics, biology, and computer science, the 100,000-sf facility will provide 32 research and teaching labs, 32 faculty offices, two 100-seat lecture halls, and one 200-seat lecture hall. Occupancy is expected in August of 2011.

Hunter Medical Research Institute is building a $90 million translational research facility in Rankin Park, New South Wales. The 172,000-sf building will house 450 biomedical and clinical researchers and is slated for occupancy in mid-2012.

United Therapeutics awarded DPR Construction a $49.9 million contract in June of 2011 to build an 180,000-sf facility on its existing campus in Research Triangle Park, N.C. The addition will provide manufacturing, packaging, labeling, and warehouse space. Completion is expected in 2012.

MSD (Merck Sharp Dohme) opened the Bioassay Centre of Expertise and the Pneumococcal Vaccine Conjugation Facility in June of 2011 in Brinny, Ireland. The facilities represent an investment of $41 million and will support the development, commercialization, and manufacture of vaccines and protein-based therapeutics.

A $4.5 billion renovation of the Pentagon is now complete. The 17-year design-build project included extensive reconstruction of the 6.5 million-sf facility, including reconfiguration to accommodate modern technology and communications systems. The completed Department of Defense headquarters will officially open in summer of 2011. 

The University of Delaware is building the $131.8 million Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering Laboratory (ISE-Lab) in Newark. The 194,000-sf facility will provide advanced classrooms, teaching labs, and core research spaces. The ISE-Lab will house the University of Delaware Energy Institute, the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy, the Delaware Environmental Institute, and the Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation. Completion is expected in summer of 2013.

The University of Oregon is constructing the $65 million Lewis Integrative Science Building in Eugene. Designed by THA Architecture and HDR with Lease Crutcher Lewis as construction manager, the five-story facility will provide 100,000 sf of interdisciplinary research, teaching, and collaboration space for the study of nanotechnology, molecular biology, neuroscience, and energy. LEED Platinum sustainable design certification will be sought for the facility.

The Monroe County Public Safety Laboratory opened in June of 2011 in Rochester, N.Y. The $23 million crime and forensics lab includes areas for chemistry, biology, ballistics research, and DNA analysis. Construction began on the facility in 2009.

The University of Texas at Arlington has attained LEED Gold sustainable design certification for the $126 million Engineering Research Building. Housing the departments of Bioengineering and Computer Science and Engineering, the 234,000-gsf facility provides classrooms, research and teaching labs, a science and engineering library, collaboration space, and faculty offices. The project was designed by Page Southerland Page with RFD (Research Facilities Design) as laboratory design consultant.

McMaster University is planning to begin construction in 2013 on the $60 million Wilson Building for Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences in Hamilton, Ontario. The 104,000-sf facility will provide multidisciplinary teaching and research space for a wide variety of programs.

Roche has attained LEED Gold sustainable design certification for the renovation of Building 76 in Nutley, N.J. The project included refurbishment of 159,000 sf on nine floors. The completed Building 76 features daylight harvesting, chilled beams, occupancy sensors, and an advanced HVAC system. Construction began in September of 2009. The project team included design architect HDR, Sordoni Construction, and Dauo Engineers.

Trinity College Dublin opened the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute in June of 2011. The $189 million multidisciplinary facility houses the Institute of Immunology, the Cancer Drug Discovery Center of Excellence, the Bioengineering Center, and space for the Institute of Neuroscience. Providing academic, research, and commercial office space, the 11-story, 376,740-sf building will support preclinical medical training and research for the Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, Biochemistry and Immunology, Chemistry, and Engineering.

Novartis broke ground in June of 2011 on a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in St. Petersburg, Russia. Part of a five-year, $500 million investment, the facility will utilize advanced technologies to produce innovative therapeutics and generics. Completion is expected in 2014.

Emory University broke ground on the Health Sciences Research Building in June of 2011 in Atlanta. The 200,000-sf facility will support pediatric research and investigation into immunology, pharmaceutical discovery, and cancer. With four stories above ground and one below grade, the building will accommodate 65 lead researchers and their teams and will include a 175-seat auditorium. The $90 million facility was designed by ZGF (Zimmer Gunsul Frasca).