The $20-million, 72,000-sf Complex combines the engineering department (civil, mechanical, and electrical) on the first floor with the biotechnology and biodiversity centers on the third floor. Investments in high-tech equipment including a two-story integrated applications laboratory, and the hands-on approach produce students who are competitive and successful in the workplace.

The Applied Research and Technology Program (ARTP) exemplifies the educational philosophy of "learning by doing" by creating a design-build-test learning environment. For example, certain elements of the Complex construction process, including foundation inspections, concrete strength testing, and inspection of reinforcing steel, were conducted by the civil engineering students and faculty. Students performed the work as a professional engineering firm through ARTP.

Similarly, the biology students work in areas of molecular biology, molecular genetics, biotechnology, and ecology. Opportunities exist to conduct independent research and to assist R&D scientists.

Project Information
Building Owner:		Western Kentucky University
Building Location:		Bowling Green, Kentucky UNITED STATES
Project Type:		New Construction
Principal Building Function:		Research and teaching
Project Timeline		Jan 2005 Completion Last known status: Completed
Project Cost:		$20,000,000
		About These Cost Figures
Building Information
Project Includes:		Biotechnology Ecology Education Education: Classroom Education: Computer Lab Engineering Laboratory Laboratory: Biotech Laboratory: Teaching Research: Biotech
Total GSF:		72,000
Project Team
Profile Created 10/01/2005
Last Updated 04/04/2006
About the Reported Cost Figures The cost figures reported are supplied by the firms that submitted these projects for publication, which in most cases are the designers or builders. Whereas these sources are intimately familiar with their projects, they may not be fully aware of the owners' finally-realized and recorded costs. In some cases, costs are truly and completely accounted for, and in others they represent a near approximation of the final costs. Costs have not been adjusted for year of construction, nor has any attempt been made to make regional cost adjustments. Further, costs are not comparable on any kind of detailed standard costing model. Hence, it is possible for the cost of one building to include a steam boiler, while the cost of a comparable building might not include the boiler, if steam is being supplied from an already existing campus grid. Or, in another case, a building might include excess boiler capacity to supply steam to another building. Some submittals include fees or unusual site improvements as part of the construction costs, which others do not.