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The Ohio State University Breaks Ground on Controlled Environment Food Production Research Complex

Published 1/8/2021
The Ohio State University - Controlled Environment Food Production Research Complex
The Ohio State University - Controlled Environment Food Production Research Complex
The Ohio State University - Controlled Environment Food Production Research Complex

The Ohio State University broke ground in December of 2020 on the $27 million Controlled Environment Food Production Research Complex in Columbus. Designed by Erdy-McHenry Architecture, the 49,050-sf project will provide sophisticated research and cultivation facilities for the development of advanced food production technologies. Located at the Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory, the project will feature a one-acre greenhouse with integrated environmental controls that can be independently adjusted for compartments ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 sf. The complex will also include a teaching lab, a gathering and collaboration space, offices for investigators and staff, potting and soil mixing areas, and mechanical zones for fertigation, recirculation, and C02 generation infrastructure. Subsequent phases of construction may create a vertical farm, a phenotyping center, and facilities for aquaponics and aquaculture. 

M+A Architects is providing laboratory design, construction management, and cost estimation services for the sustainably designed project, which will leverage intelligent HVAC and lighting systems to achieve optimal energy performance. Completion is expected in 2022.