Research and Development

Dow Chemical Company Renovates Electronics Materials Lab

Northern Kentucky University opened the $105 million Health Innovation Center in Highland Heights in September of 2018. Designed by CO Architects and GBBN Architects, the 108,179-sf interdisciplinary facility provides the College of Health Professions with advanced classrooms, laboratories, and offices. The building houses the College of Health Professions, the Institute for Health Innovation, the Institute for Student Research and Creative Activity, and the two-story St. Elizabeth Simulation Center.

The University of California, Irvine broke ground in September of 2018 on the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building. Designed by LMN Architects to promote cross-disciplinary collaboration, the six-story, 204,750-sf facility will house the Samueli School of Engineering, the Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Science, and the School of Physical Sciences.

Elekta opened its 150,695-sf Global Radiotherapy Innovation Center in September of 2018 in Crawley in the United Kingdom. Located on the company's five-acre Cornerstone campus, the facility will support the design and manufacture of precision radiation therapy technologies. Construction began in 2015 on the project, which will accommodate up to 750 employees including engineers, scientists, clinicians, and customer-facing professionals.

Oregon Health & Science University opened the $190 Knight Cancer Institute in September of 2018 on the South Waterfront Campus in Portland. Designed by SRG Partnership to foster multidisciplinary collaboration, the seven-story, 320,000-sf facility provides biomedical laboratories, administrative offices, interaction hubs, core labs, a 200-seat auditorium, and space for clinical trials. Featuring an integrated balance of wet and dry research spaces, the building accommodates programs in computational biology, early cancer detection, and immuno-oncology.

Chapman University opened the $130 million Keck Center for Science and Engineering in late August of 2018 in Orange, Calif. Housing the Schmid College of Science and Technology, the three-story, 140,000-sf facility accommodates programs in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, math, computational science, food science, psychology, and health science. Spacious teaching and research spaces are grouped strategically by discipline, with students and faculty moving seamlessly between classroom and lab. Designed by AC Martin and built by C.W.

Ohio University broke ground in late August of 2018 on a $42.6 million chemistry building in Athens. Designed by BHDP Architecture and Flad Architects to put science on display, the 69,000-sf facility will provide labs for teaching and research, collaboration spaces, conference rooms, a shared instrumentation suite, and offices for faculty and graduate students. Gilbane Building Company is the construction manager for the project, which is slated for completion in summer of 2020.

WABCO opened the $30 million Global Technology and Innovation Center in August of 2018 in Hanover, Germany. Accommodating over 420 employees, the 124,000-sf R&D hub will provide engineering and product development labs for the creation of automotive technologies. Designed to promote collaboration and interaction, the center will support the development of advanced safety and efficiency systems for autonomous, connected, and electric commercial vehicles. Additionally, WABCO opened a customer care center in July of 2018 in Rochester Hills, Mich.

Innovation hubs and incubators are emerging as the best solution to help universities, entrepreneurs, researchers, and students transform their creative ideas into viable commercial ventures. Users want facilities that focus on entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation; foster interdisciplinary collaboration and partnerships; offer responsive and flexible spaces; create a spirit of ground-up innovation; support commercialization of ideas/products; and connect to nearby universities, companies, and amenities.

Washington State University broke ground in September of 2018 on the $61.3 million Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Pullman. Built as an addition to the existing Paul G. Allen Center for Global Animal Health, the 62,500-sf project will accommodate the detection and diagnosis of zoonotic diseases and infectious agents such as avian influenza, BSE, foot and mouth disease, West Nile virus, and pandemic flu. The facility will also house teaching labs for programs in veterinary medicine. Completion is expected by January of 2021.

The University of Tennessee opened the $118 million Ken and Blaire Mossman Building in September of 2018 in Knoxville. Designed by McCarty Holsaple McCarty and Lord Aeck Sargent to promote interdepartmental collaboration, the six-story, 222,000-sf facility accommodates programs in microbiology, biochemistry, psychology, nutrition, and cellular and molecular biology.

Premier BioSource broke ground in August of 2018 on a $7.5 million facility for the production of research swine in Rensselaer, Ind. The 78,000-sf farrow-to-finish complex will accommodate 600 breeding sows, housing a total of 4,752 pigs at full capacity. The facility is strategically sited in Jasper county to enable Premier BioSource to meet the needs of clients in the eastern United States. Completion is expected by June of 2019.

The University of Washington opened the Life Sciences Building in Seattle in September of 2018. Designed by Perkins+Will, the collaborative facility provides five floors above grade and two subterranean levels for the Department of Biology. The 207,000-sf project comprises a 187,000-sf teaching and research building and a 20,000-sf greenhouse. Providing a gateway between the main and south campus, the facility features a five-story glass atrium with a communicating stair to promote interaction among students and faculty.

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse opened the $82 million Prairie Springs Science Center in September of 2018. Designed by SmithGroupJJR and River Architects, the 187,000-sf facility houses the departments of Biology, Chemistry, Geography/Earth Science, Mathematics, Microbiology, Physics, and River Studies, as well as accommodating the offices of the Dean of the College of Science and Health.

LA BioMed is planning to build a $63 million bioscience research facility on its existing campus in Torrance, Calif. The four-story building will include an 18,000-sf business incubator able to accommodate up to 30 companies at full capacity. The project will support the translation of research discoveries into innovative solutions and products. Occupancy is expected in February of 2019.