Research and Development

Ground was broken in January of 2011 on the $1.2 billion National Security Agency data center at Camp Williams, Utah. The facility is being built by a joint venture of Balfour Beatty, DPR, and Big-D Construction. Supporting national security objectives, the 1.5 million-sf foot facility will provide 900,000 sf of technical support and administrative space and a 100,000-sf raised floor data center. A chiller plant and an electrical substation will also be built at the site.

Server Farm Realty has selected ESD (Environmental Systems Design), a specialist in mission critical facilities, to design a 440,000-sf data center and electronic trading facility in Chicago, Ill. The project will combine an electronic trading environment offering 30 watts/sf with over 130,000 sf of data center space designed at 150 watt/sf.  Previously owned by Northern Trust, the property was upgraded to support data center space prior to the Server Farm acquisition.

Carleton University opened the $30.4 million Canal Building in January of 2011. Attaining five out of five on the Green Globes sustainable design rating scale, the seven-story, 100,000-sf facility will accommodate aerospace, sustainable energy, and biomedical engineering programs. Construction began on the Canal building in June of 2009. Sustainable design elements include sun shading, photovoltaic panels, a green roof, occupancy controlled lighting, automated building systems, and abundant natural light. A biowall in the atrium absorbs carbon dioxide and emits oxygen.

The University of Iowa is constructing the $122.5 million Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building in Iowa City. Built as an extension of the Medical Education and Research Facility and the Carver Biomedical Research Building, the 200,000-sf interdisciplinary research facility will house laboratories for biomedical, life science, and stem cell research. The project broke ground in September of 2007 and will include the $25 million Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is building a 355,000-sf headquarters facility in Arlington, Va. The project team includes architect RTKL and general contractor Clark Construction Group. The 13-story office building will meet Level IV security standards and is slated for completion in early 2012. LEED Gold sustainable design certification will be sought for the project. The facility represents the first phase of the planned 1.2 million-sf Founders Square mixed-use project.

Raytheon Company opened a 75,000-sf facility at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland in January of 2011. Promoting collaboration with the U.S. military on warfighter technologies and systems, the facility provides offices, laboratories, and customer presentation facilities. The center houses 200 employees for Raytheon's Advanced Communications and Countermeasures group and its U.S. Business Development office. The facility is built to meet LEED Silver sustainable design standards.

Genzyme Corp. initiated construction in January of 2011 on a $344 million pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Geel, Belgium. The facility will provide 8,000 liters of production capacity for biologics and a complete purification installation. Completion is expected in late 2014. Genzyme is based in Cambridge, Mass.

Northeastern University is building the George J. Kostas Research Institute for Homeland Security in Burlington, Mass. Funded in part by a $12 million donation, the three-story, 70,000-sf facility will house laboratories for the study of information protection, explosive detection, nanotechnology, robotics, and energy harvesting. The sustainably designed project will open in summer of 2011. The facility will house up to 100 researchers.

The University at Buffalo is building the 130,000-sf Barbara and Jack Davis Hall in Buffalo, N.Y. Housing the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the $75 million facility will provide flexible laboratories, classrooms, and seminar rooms for interdisciplinary research and education. The project was designed by Perkins + Will and includes a 5,000-sf cleanroom for nanotechnology fabrication.

The University of Aberystwyth initiated construction on two research facilities in late 2010. The $11.1 million, 2,000-sm Phenomics facility will house laboratories and greenhouses for plant science. The project is the centerpiece of the Institute for International Plant Breeding, a center housing laboratories, an enterprise hub, and accommodation for visiting academics. The second facility is a two-story teaching and research block slated for completion in late 2011. A BREEAM Excellent rating for sustainable design will be sought for both projects.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute dedicated the 275,000-sf Yawkey Center for Cancer Care in Boston in January of 2011. Designed by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects, the 14-story outpatient facility houses a clinical research center, 104 exam rooms, 139 infusion chairs, and 17 consultation rooms. The center provides integrated treatment and research facilities in an environment with abundant natural light to promote healing. The sustainably designed building features a heat recovery system, automated sunshades, and a green roof.

City University of New York has awarded Skanska USA a $92 million contract to construct two research buildings in Harlem, N.Y. A 473,000-sf facility will house labs, a 100-seat lecture hall, and a cafeteria. The second building will provide 247,000 sf of laboratory space for biology, chemistry, and physics. Construction began in January of 2011 with completion expected in summer of 2014.

Ariens Co. is initiating a $3.8 million renovation of its R&D office in Brillion, Wis. The project will include creation of new product development and testing labs, an employee learning center, and a geothermal heating system. The completed facility will help Ariens to support its Lean management philosophy. Completion is expected in July of 2011. The project was designed by Performa of De Pere, Wis., with Miron Construction as general contractor.

The Center for Advanced Engineering and Research (CAER) is slated for completion in April of 2011. Located in the New London Business and Technology Center, the 30,000-sf facility will provide R&D labs for students and faculty from local universities including Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia. The building will include two towers, one dedicated to wireless technology research and development, and the other housing a model nuclear reactor. LEED sustainable design certification will be sought for the project.

The Department of Energy has selected Fowler General Construction to build an addition to the Environmental Molecular Science Lab at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash. The $4.96 million Q-wing will house microscopy to support research in microbiology, geochemistry, fuel cells, and catalysts. Designed to minimize vibration, noise, and electromagnetic radiation, the facility will feature isolated foundations for each of the eight rooms in the 10,500-sf wing.