Industry News

A $94 million renovation of the U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory will begin in early 2012. Located in Princeton, N.J., the project will upgrade the National Spherical Torus Experiment test facility to support the development of nuclear fusion energy technologies. The duration of construction will be 30 months with completion expected in 2014. 

Hamilton Storage Technologies is building a 51,000-sf manufacturing center in Franklin, Mass. The $16 million facility will support production of sample retrieval and handling systems for life science research buildings. Completion is expected in late 2012. 

The Strategy for UK Life Sciences was announced by Prime Minister David Cameron in December of 2012. The measures include $116 million for construction of a planned bioinformatics hub near Cambridge and $77 million for a Cell Therapy Technology and Innovation Centre in London. The initiative also provides $480 million to promote commercialization of biomedical research discoveries through collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry.

Shriners Hospitals for Children is building a $127 million replacement facility in Montreal. Located on the Glen campus of the McGill University Health Centre, the 207,000-sf facility features 24,756 sf of research space, 22 private patient rooms, four operating suites, and a $400,000 surgical skills training lab. The project was designed by André Ibghy Architects. Occupancy is expected by 2015. 

The Public Health Agency of Canada is building the J.C. Wilt Infectious Diseases Research Centre in Winnipeg. Designed by Smith Carter Architects and Engineers and built by PCL Constructors Canada, the $42 million project includes renovation of an existing structure to provide BSL-2 research space for the adjacent National Microbiology Laboratory. The construction cost of the facility is $23 million. LEED sustainable design certification will be sought for the project. Occupancy is expected by February of 2013.