Energy Use Reduction

The Tennessee Titans are constructing the new Nissan Stadium in Nashville. Serving as the centerpiece of the city’s East Bank district, the $2.1 billion facility will span 1.8 million sf and accommodate 62,000 occupants. Fans will benefit from a range of seating options with improved sight lines to the field, including 130 suites and an all-inclusive club. Featuring a circular translucent roof, the enclosed structure will incorporate 77,000 sf of LED video boards and a wrap-around, 21-foot-tall halo display connecting to screens at the end zones.

Mass timber construction is widely lauded for its sustainability benefits, including wood’s natural carbon sequestration, lower embodied energy footprint, lighter weight compared to steel or concrete, and essential renewability. But does it pay off in terms of a university’s performance standards and cost concerns when embarking on a project as ambitious as Oregon State University’s Jen-Hsun and Lori Mills Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex, a $213 million, 143,000-sf facility dedicated to advanced programs in artificial intelligence, robotics, energy, and materials science? Scott Ashford, OSU’s dean of the College of Engineering, and Libby Ramirez, the university’s resident architect, argue that with careful strategy and an eye toward the data, the answer is “yes.”

Merck opened a filter and membrane manufacturing facility in October of 2025 in Cork, Ireland. Offering 32,291 sf of cleanroom space, the €150 million ($174.5 million) building will meet global demand in the production process of vaccines and life-changing biomedical treatments, including monoclonal antibodies and cell and gene therapies. By locating these expanded manufacturing capacities in Europe, Merck aims to reduce cross-border dependencies and ensure reliable access to critical filtration technologies.

FUJIFILM Biotechnologies opened a $3.2 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in September of 2025 in Holly Springs, N.C. Integrating leading-edge equipment and technologies, the sophisticated development features eight 20,000-liter bioreactors for the production of bulk drug substances and innovative therapies. Johnson & Johnson and Regeneron have signed 10-year contracts to secure space at the 1.3 million-sf campus, which represents the largest end-to-end cell culture CDMO hub in North America. 

Rice Real Estate Company and Lincoln Property Company are planning to construct a landmark research facility in the Ion District in Houston. Designed by HKS, the Arc will connect academic excellence with industry, institutional, and entrepreneurial partners to accelerate the transition of science and technology discoveries to the marketplace.

Claremont McKenna College opened the Robert Day Sciences Center in September of 2025 in Claremont, Calif. As the home for the new Kravis Department of Integrated Sciences, the 135,000-sf facility enables a transformative pedagogy organized around three overlapping foci: health, brain, and planet. The three-story structure supports a research-centered, solutions-driven curriculum, creating experiential learning opportunities for students and emphasizing the applications of artificial intelligence to real-world challenges.

The University of Pittsburgh is constructing the state-of-the-art BioForge center in the Hazelwood Green development, a brownfield site site that once accommodated a steel mill. Designed by HOK, the $250 million hub will drive breakthroughs and innovations in the manufacturing of precision biological medicines to improve human health.

Penn Medicine opened a $376 million facility in September of 2025 in Philadelphia to drive pioneering research in autoimmune disorders. Positioned atop an existing 250,000-sf office tower, the eight-story overbuild features wet laboratories, a vivarium, and a BSL-3 lab for the processing of infectious disease specimens.

Workplace occupancy planning used to be straightforward: People were assigned to an office, cubicle, or facility, and that is where they worked. Not so in the current hybrid work world. Traditional space and occupancy techniques are struggling to handle the complexity of today’s diverse facility use patterns. And increased pressure and regulations related to sustainability and energy usage only add to the challenge. However, AI is beginning to transform space and occupancy planning.

The Jacksonville Jaguars broke ground in February of 2025 on a $1.4 billion renovation of Everbank Stadium. Created in partnership with the City of Jacksonville, the project will reimagine the facility as a year-round destination for sports, entertainment, and community connection. The vibrant hub will benefit from the addition of a partial roof cover, enlarged and elevated concourses, corner openings to improve airflow, and a reflective outer coating to reduce interior heat.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison opened a $267 million facility for the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences in August of 2025. Designed by LMN Architects and Kahler Slater, Morgridge Hall will act as a beacon of innovation for the state’s growing tech industry while meeting an increased demand for programs in robotics, cybersecurity, software design, and machine learning.

Nokia unveiled a state-of-the-art campus for R&D and manufacturing in September of 2025 in Oulu, Finland. Spanning 592,015 sf, this dynamic innovation hub will design, test, and deliver 5G and 6G radio networks built for artificial intelligence. The bipartite project comprises eight floors of flexible office space and a two-story factory for industrial production. Laboratories equipped with advanced technologies provide both simulated and real-world field verification environments to accelerate network evolution.

Wesleyan University is constructing a $255 million science building to consolidate two existing facilities and anchor a transformational life sciences precinct in Middletown, Conn. Designed by Payette, the 195,000-gsf structure will house the departments of Biology, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.  The four-story development will feature 39 research and support labs, nine teaching labs, seven classrooms, and a vivarium.

Northeastern Illinois University broke ground in August of 2025 on a new building for the Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education in Chicago. Designed by SmithGroup, the $125.4 million facility will provide 24 classrooms, two designated conference rooms, and 80 private offices. The 189,673-sf structure will accommodate leading-edge laboratories and clinics for the cultivation of educational excellence, with 48,735 sf of space dedicated for general university use. 

Mass timber construction is widely lauded for its sustainability benefits, including wood’s natural carbon sequestration, lower embodied energy footprint, lighter weight as compared to steel or concrete, and essential renewability. But does it pay off in terms of a university’s performance standards and cost concerns when embarking on a project as ambitious as Oregon State University’s Jen-Hsun and Lori Mills Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex, a $213 million, 143,000-sf facility dedicated to advanced programs in artificial intelligence, robotics, energy, and materials science? Scott Ashford, OSU’s dean of the College of Engineering, and Libby Ramirez, the university’s resident architect, argue that with careful strategy and an eye toward the data, the answer is “yes.”