General Electric Aviation will begin construction in mid-2011 on the $51 million Electrical Power Integrated Systems Research and Development Center (EPISCENTER) in Dayton, Ohio. Sited on land owned by the University of Dayton, the 115,000-sf facility will support research on electrical power systems for aircraft, ships, and automobiles. EPISCENTER will feature advanced simulation suites and is expected to be fully operational by year-end 2012.
The renovation of Science Campus IV for Western Kentucky University has been awarded to Ross Tarrant Architects with RFD (Research Facilities Design) as laboratory design consultant. This will be RFD’s third project on campus in the last 10 years, having designed the laboratories for the Complex for Engineering & Biological Sciences and Snell Hall.
The first phase of the Biorenewables Complex was recently constructed at Iowa State University, further establishing ISU’s reputation as a leader in agricultural and engineering research. The 72,000-sf building for the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering has 24,000 sf of large, open/flexible research and teaching laboratory space for biochemistry and microbiology. The facility has been nominated for LEED Gold certification.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory will construct a $39 million research support facility in Golden, Colo. The 137,000-sf facility is expected to reach completion in October of 2011. The project team includes RNL Design, Haselden Construction, and engineering consultant Stantec. The sustainably designed facility will feature rooftop photovoltaic panels, optimal thermal performance, automated lighting controls, and integrated building systems.
The University of Oklahoma is constructing the $128 million Oklahoma Cancer Center in Norman. The seven-story, 210,000-sf facility will support translational research with laboratories, clinical space, and patient education suites. The multidisciplinary Oklahoma Cancer Center will provide advanced diagnosis and treatment facilities in a patient-centered environment. Completion is expected in 2011.
The University of Maine will begin construction in spring of 2011 on a biocontainment aquaculture research lab in Orono. FISHlab will provide advanced research laboratories for the study of pathogens and the development of vaccines for fish, frogs, lobsters, and sea urchins. The $600,000 facility will support collaboration with industry partners and is expected to reach completion in spring of 2012.
The Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences opened the 125,000-sf Forensic Sciences and Biomedical Research Facility in Tulsa in November of 2010. Developed in partnership with the City of Tulsa, the four-story project houses forensic labs for teaching and research, instructional space, and biomedical research facilities.
Schlumberger opened the Brazil Research and Geoengineering Center in Rio de Janeiro in November of 2010. The R&D facility will create technology for oil and gas production from offshore pre-salt carbonates and deepwater reservoirs. The 10,000-sm facility includes a Geoengineering Technology Center, a Geoengineering Research Center, a GeoSolutions Hub, and several Reservoir Laboratories. Designed to support collaborative team-based research, the center will house up to 300 scientists, technicians, and staff.
Texas A&M University at Galveston dedicated the $53.2 million Ocean and Coastal Studies Building (OCSB) in November of 2010. Designed by WHR Architects, the 110,000-sf marine research facility is located on Pelican Island and houses the Texas Institute of Oceanography, Center for Texas Beaches and Shores, Texas Seafood Safety Laboratory, Laboratory of Oceanographic and Environmental Research, Coastal Zone Laboratory, and the university’s Marine Biology and Marine Sciences academic departments.
Scripps Health will break ground in late 2011 on a $398 million cardiovascular institute in La Jolla. The 383,000-sf, eight-story facility will provide 108 private patient rooms, 60 ICU beds, six surgical suites, catheterization labs, cardiovascular research labs, and a center for graduate medical education. The design architect for the project is HOK. Completion is expected in 2015. The institute is part of a $2 billion master plan to rebuild Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla.
Babraham Bioscience Technologies opened the 8,000-sf Maia bioincubator facility in Cambridge in November of 2010. The project will provide laboratories for seven early-stage biomedical companies with access to shared research resources at the Babraham Institute. The opening of the Maia building brings the total footprint of Babraham’s research campus to 70,000 sf. Babraham Bioscience Technologies is the commercial arm of the Babraham Institute, an institute of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
The University of Pittsburgh will construct a $50 million addition to Salk Hall. The expansion will provide laboratories and offices for the School of Pharmacy and the School of Dental Medicine. LEED Silver sustainable design certification will be sought for the project. Completion is expected by 2013.
Novo Nordisk will invest up to $100 million to expand its Beijing R&D center in Zhongguancun Life Science Park. The project includes $40 million for the construction of diabetes research laboratories. Completion in expected in late 2011 with occupancy slated for 2012.
The University of St. Andrews opened the £45 million School of Medical and Biological Sciences in Scotland in November of 2010. Providing integrated facilities for research and medical education, the building is designed to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and is connected by a bridge to the school of physics and astronomy. The School of Medical and Biological Sciences includes a 300-seat lecture hall, classrooms, and laboratories for teaching and research. The facility was completed in May of 2010.
IBM’s £44 million nanotechnology laboratory in Rueschlikon, Switzerland, is slated for completion in spring of 2011. Created in partnership with The Swiss Technical University (ETH), the facility will provide 900 sm of cleanroom space and temperature-stable subterranean laboratories protected from vibrations and electromagnetic interference. The building will feature geothermal heating, photovoltaic panels, and a parking garage with a green roof.
