The Photonics Center houses research laboratories, laboratory support space, a prototyping center, business incubator space and instructional and seminar facilities. The Photonics Center facilitates the development of laboratory prototypes into commercial products. A multidisciplinary strategy among students, researchers, entrepreneurs, industrial designers and manufacturers fosters the development of new products with participating companies.

All electrical and communication closets are stacked vertically to accommodate wiring within the building. A 27-foot, two-story mechanical penthouse crowns the towers. The floor system masks both internal and external vibration sources.

The foundation sits 10 feet below the existing granite block foundation of an adjacent four-story building. Excavation shoring was needed around the entire perimeter--the shoring varied from 20 to 40 feet. Along one side of the site, a seven-foot diameter sewer was maintained in place throughout construction. Tie-back locations were coordinated approximately four feet below the bottom of the sewer.

Project Information
Building Owner:		Boston University
Owner Contact:		Edwin H. Porter, Jr. Special Assistant to the Director
Building Location:		Boston, MA UNITED STATES
Project Type:		New Construction
Principal Building Function:		Photonics, Business, Engineering/Computer Science Research and Instruction
Project Delivery Method:		Construction Management
Project Timeline		Jan 1994 Planning Start Mar 1994 Design Start Jan 1995 Construction Start Jun 1997 Completion Last known status: Completed
Project Cost:		$78,400,000
Construction Cost:		$60,000,000
Cost Per Sq. Ft:		$214
		About These Cost Figures
Building Information
Project Includes:		Computers Data Center Education Education: Classroom Engineering Laboratory: Dry Laboratory: Teaching R&D
Total GSF:		280,000
Total NSF:		160,000
Efficiency:		57%
Building Population:		1850
People Density:		146 gsf/person
Building Services:		Deionized water, compressed air, laboratory vacuum, chilled water supply and return for laboratory equipment
Special Equip:		Water-to-water heat exchangers, all locations; laboratory electrical ground available to users in each lab; cleanrooms
Office Size:		172 NSF
Power Req:		15 watts/sf redundant or 32 watts/sf using four 2,500 OA/3,000 FA KVA transformers
HVAC Req:		440,000 cfm
Structure/Foundation:		4-1/2' deep reinforced concrete mat foundation
Laboratory Parameters
Lab Module:		10'4
Casework Mat'l:		Custom wood with epoxy tops
Fume Hoods:		Conventional type: seven 4' hoods, five 5' hoods, eight 6' hoods, two 8' hoods. Laminar-flow type: one 4' hood, six 6' hoods, one 8' hood
Project Team
Architect		Cannon Design
Consultant - Hardware		Kern Consulting Group
Consultant - Landscape Architect		Cannon Design
Consultant - Lighting		RPM Systems, Inc.
Consultant - Reviewing Engineer		Veitas & Veitas Engineers
Mechanical Engineer		Cannon Design
Supplier - Laboratory Exhaust Fans		Strobic Air Corporation
Profile Created 10/01/1997
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.