The Skidaway Institute of Oceanography has opened a new $5 million, 11,000-sf facility to further their research on marine and coastal systems. The Marine and Coastal Science Research and Instructional Center (MCSRIC) houses high-tech lab, conference, office, and collaboration space in a single-story building designed by Lord, Aeck & Sargent of Atlanta, who have targeted LEED Gold certification for the facility. The building is expected to be 31 percent more energy-efficient than a comparable building of a similar use and size constructed with conventional energy strategies, and to use 45 percent less water when compared with a traditional building. Housed in the building are two chemistry labs, three general labs, one biology lab, one flow cytometry lab, one special lab, and a cleanroom. In addition, a conference room with kitchenette, an entry area for informal gatherings, PI offices and open space, a mechanical room, and an above-ground, 1,000-gallon cistern for capturing rainwater. The Savannah, Ga., office of Choate Construction Co. was the construction manager for the project.