The Hurley Group has transformed an existing office building in New Haven to create the Elm City Bioscience Center. Designed by Svigals + Partners, the adaptive reuse project offers over 100,000 sf of leasable research space for startup companies.
Data-driven tools that objectively measure the utilization and productivity of lab space can provide academic institutions with valuable insights for making key budget decisions about renovation, new construction, and allocation of existing resources. In 2018, space planners at Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) in St. Louis, Mo., set out to quantify the utilization of wet lab space as part of an effort to achieve ambitious growth and recruiting goals. The process led to the creation of a rolling five-year needs study with annual reporting of lab space utilization and researcher productivity using benchmarked performance metrics. The reporting tool now provides university administrators with accurate, objective data on a yearly basis that helps them better utilize existing resources, improve adjacencies, and validate the potential need for renovations and new construction.
Vermeulens has released its market outlook report for the fourth quarter of 2021. Key points include:
Vermeulens has released its market outlook report for the third quarter of 2021. Key points include:
Vermeulens has released its market outlook report for the second quarter of 2021. Key points include:
Demand for design services from U.S. architecture firms continues to grow at a vigorous pace, according to a report issued by the American Institute of Architects in June of 2021. AIA’s Architecture Billings Index score for May rose to 58.5 compared to 57.9 in April. Any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings, and May’s ABI score is one of the highest in the index’s 25-year history.
Vermeulens has released its market outlook report for the first quarter of 2021. Key points include:
The Olivia Business Centre was awarded the highest WELL Health-Safety Rating in March of 2021 by the International WELL Building Institute. Located in Gdańsk, Poland, the eight-building corporate park offers 2.5 million sf of world-class office space and accommodates over 200 companies. Achieving 25 out of 25 available points in all WELL Health-Safety categories, the complex leverages advanced infrastructure to continue operations safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Features include:
Vermeulens has released its market outlook report for the fourth quarter of 2020. Key points include:
Construction Prices: Remain flat through Q4 of 2020, with one in ten projects showing cost reductions with strong contractor coverage across the board.
Fed Watch: The Federal Reserve continued monetary stimulus.
Architectural Billings: Q4 has returned to growth in inquiries; however, three quarters of billing declines in 2020 will result in a lower volume for the first half of 2021.
Vermeulens has released its market outlook report for the third quarter of 2020. Key points include:
Marmon Plumbing & Refrigeration has partnered with Micron Pure, a subsidiary of Hecto Group, to create the CerroZone™ system for the mitigation of airborne SARS-CoV-2. The continuous indoor air purification system, which has been tested at the University of Missouri's Laboratory for Infectious Disease Research, reduces 99 percent of live SARS-CoV-2 in a single pass in under 30 seconds.
Johnson Controls opened the $37 million OpenBlue Innovation Center at the National University of Singapore in September of 2020. Located in the School of Design and Environment's SDE4 building, the 2,600-sf facility is a living laboratory for the development of customizable, contact-free applications built on Johnson Controls' unifying digital technology suite, OpenBlue.
Empire State Realty Trust achieved the WELL Health-Safety Rating for its greater New York commercial properties in September of 2022. Representing 10.1 million rentable square feet, the portfolio comprises 14 office complexes, including the Empire State Building, and six stand-alone retail venues.
Promoting confidence in the safe reoccupancy of facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, the WELL Health-Safety Rating for Facility Operations and Management measures five categories:
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) launched the latest version of the WELL Building Standard in September of 2020. Following two years of extensive development, in-use application, and review, WELL v2 is a vehicle for buildings and organizations to deliver spaces that contribute to improved human health through design strategies, operational protocols, performance standards, and policies that foster a culture of well-being.
The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Toronto has partnered with leading infectious disease researchers and industry experts to create the HVAC Advisory Council. Aligned with BOMA Toronto’s Return to Work Committee, the task force will leverage insights on air quality, infection controls, and HVAC systems to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in commercial buildings.
