Industry News

The Australian government has awarded AUD$220 million in federal funding to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) for upgrades to its biocontainment research facilities in Geelong. Constructed 35 years ago, the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (formerly the Australian Animal Health Laboratory) is a secure campus with four laboratory structures offering BSL-4 research space.

VACUUBRAND is offering continuing education courses approved by the American Institute of Architects and Green Business Certification Inc. Providing engineers and designers with the skills to create sustainable, high-performance laboratories, each course is available as a general webinar, a private webinar, or as an on-demand learning experience. AIA members will receive one LU/HSW (Health-Safety-Welfare learning unit) for each one-hour course.

Georgia State University is planning to construct an $84 million research building in Atlanta for the study of global infectious diseases. Designed by HOK, the 84,100-sf biocontainment facility will provide BSL-3 and BSL-4 labs, a vivarium, collaborative open research areas, offices, and support space. A design-bid-build contractor is being sought for the project, which has an estimated construction cost of $66 million. The structure represents the third phase of development at the university's Science Park and is slated for completion in 2022.

Oklahoma State University is planning to break ground in spring of 2021 on a $100 million facility for the College of Agriculture in Stillwater. Designed to promote hands-on, experiential learning, the building will offer flexible teaching and research labs, dynamic classrooms, collaboration spaces, and faculty offices. Occupancy is expected in fall of 2023. OSU is also building the $7.1 million Animal Nutrition and Physiology Center.

The Ohio State University is planning to construct two collocated research facilities in its West Campus innovation district in Columbus. Designed by Pelli Clarke & Partners and Moody Nolan, the 305,000-sf Interdisciplinary Research Facility will provide a vivarium, support spaces, and wet, computational, and core labs for programs in engineering and medical research.