PROFILE: University of California, Davis -- Sciences Laboratory Building

The new Sciences Laboratory Building at the University of California, Davis is designed to make learning science fun for future students. The 140,000-sf, $52-million facility is dedicated to teaching chemistry and biology to the next generation of biological scientists and to developing a scientifically literate student population.

A highlight of the building is the 4,300-sf computer-controlled greenhouse, where students can conduct experiments on live plants. Sea water tanks in the basement feed flumes in the Evolution and Ecology Labs on the first floor where zoology students learn about marine animals. The greenhouse automatically adjusts temperature, ventilation, and shading to conserve energy and maintain optimal conditions for growing plants. The digital controls allow adjustment of the greenhouse either from on campus or from a remote location.

Another feature is the John M. Tucker Herbarium in the Center for Plant Diversity. The nationally recognized collection of more than 250,000 dried plants and flowers from California and around the world are used for research and teaching in botany and plant biology. Farmers and gardeners, environmentalists and weed control experts, poison control centers, and law enforcement also use the collection for plant identification.

Lab neighborhoods throughout the building reflect the six departments of the Division of Biological Sciences, and the Department of Chemistry. Spacious corridors lead to alcoves at each lab entry door. Each neighborhood features numerous display cases and tack panels. Each department also has a lab-sized Learning Center and Teaching Assistant Discussion Room. Labs are designed to mimic those facilities that students will find when they graduate and begin their careers in industry and academia. The open classroom labs feature video projection and powered screens with Internet access at each student station. Thirty-four classrooms, two computer labs, five student discussion rooms, study lounges, and a Bio-Brew Café are also elements of the building. The Discussion Rooms and study areas receive natural lighting via large glass bay windows and feature wood library tables and chairs with glass markerboards and Internet access at each study table. The 517-seat Sciences Lecture Theatre features a high-resolution projection system and three projection screens.

Project Information

Building Owner:

University of California, Davis

Owner Contact:

Robert Strand, Campus Architect

Building Location:

Davis, California UNITED STATES

Project Type:

New Construction

Principal Building Function:

Teaching biology and chemistry

Project Delivery Method:

General Contractor

Project Timeline

Jul 2002	Construction Start
Jan 2005	Completion
Last known status: Completed

Construction Cost:

$43,500,000

Cost Per Sq. Ft:

$285

About These Cost Figures

Building Information

Project Includes:

Biology
Chemistry
Ecology
Education
Education: Biology
Education: Chemistry
Education: Lecture Or Seminar Hall
Education: Life Sciences
Greenhouse
Laboratory: Chemistry
Laboratory: Dry And Wet
Laboratory: Teaching
Life Sciences

Total GSF:

152,574

Total NSF:

87,535

Efficiency:

57%

Building Population:

1000

Special Equip:

Salt water tanks, automated greenhouse, 60 degree herbarium storage

Office Size:

117 NSF

Structure/Foundation:

Unbonded braced steel frame with soil cement columns

Laboratory Parameters

Lab Module:

10' 6" x 30' 6"

Casework Mat'l:

Wood casework with epoxy resin countertops

Project Team

Architect

ZGF Architects LLP

Builder

Howard S. Wright Construction Company

Consultant - Audio Visual

Shen, Milson & Wilke Associates

Consultant - Elevator

Hesselberg, Keesee & Associates Inc.

Consultant - Fire Protection

Rolf Jensen & Associates

Consultant - Telecommunications

Ove Arup and Partners

Engineer - Civil

Sandis Humber Jones

Engineer - Electrical

Ove Arup and Partners

Engineer - Mechanical

Ove Arup and Partners

Engineer - Structural

Ove Arup and Partners

Laboratory Planner

Research Facilities Design (RFD)

Landscape Architect

Walker & Macy

Profile Created 09/07/2005

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.

Fig. 1

Lab Interior

Labs are designed to mimic those facilities that students will find when they graduate and begin their careers in industry and academia. (Photo courtesy of Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership.)

Fig. 2

Student Lounge

Study areas receive natural lighting via large glass bay windows and feature wood library tables and chairs with glass markerboards and Internet access (Photo courtesy of Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership.)