Industry News

Yale University has selected London-based architectural firm Foster + Partners to design the new School of Management (SOM) campus. Sited on 4.25 acres in New Haven, Conn., the 230,000-square-foot facility more than doubles the size of the existing 110,000-sf school of management and is expected to attain LEED certification. The building will house classrooms, faculty offices, administration, and student and community spaces. Construction is expected to reach completion in 2011.

California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) is planning to construct the Center for Science and Mathematics in San Luis Obispo. Designed by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects of Los Angeles with Research Facilities Design (RFD) as laboratory design consultant, the project will provide classroom and science laboratory space for the College of Science and Mathematics in an approximately 86,349 to 102,233 assignable-square-foot building. The estimated construction cost is between $69,365,000 and $83,198,000.

An in-line fuel stabilization device exclusively represented by The Energy Group can cut operating costs in boilers by 10 to 30 percent or more. The "Fossil Fuel Stabilizer" has proven effective in both oil- and gas-fired boilers, including industrial boilers and furnaces. It is more efficient with boilers fueled by heating oil (which delivers 38 percent more BTU's per unit as natural gas). The device improves operating efficiency by dynamically delivering cleaner-burning "stabilized" fuel to the combustion chamber.

IBM is creating a sustainable business consultancy program called Green Sigma. Based on the Six Sigma management methodologies, the service will help companies reduce the carbon footprint of their business processes. Part of IBM's Big Green Innovations division, Green Sigma has formulated best practices guidelines that will be implemented in IBM’s internal pilot program and eventually by external clients. IBM is entering the carbon management services arena as part of an effort to become a green technologies and services provider.

Colorado State University celebrated the opening of its $30 million Regional Biocontainment Laboratory on October 2, 2007. Sited on the Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, the 38,000-sf aerosol challenge facility will house mice for infectious disease and potential bioterror agent research. The BSL-3 laboratory features a $600,000 mass spectrometer, autoclaves, seven-layer epoxy floors, and rigorous HEPA air filtration. The project was built by a joint venture of Heath Construction with Hensel Phelps Construction.