Sustainability

Harwell's 70,000-sf speculative laboratory complex at its Science and Innovation Campus in the United Kingdom reached practical completion in May of 2026. Designed by Scott Brownrigg, Tech Foundry 3 comprises six mid-tech units ranging upwards in size from 5,800 sf that can accommodate advanced and industrial manufacturing settings, R&D space, and both wet and dry laboratories. These flexible, self-contained units offer private entrances, grade-level access loading doors, and a minimum clear internal height of 32 feet.

When Yale University set out to reinvest in its sciences, the challenge was as much logistical as architectural. The university is constrained by finite capital budgets and an urban campus in New Haven, Conn., that is dense with heritage buildings. Several interlocking institutional initiatives shaped the approach, including the Yale Sustainability Plan, the Yale Planetary Solutions program, and a Science Strategy Committee report issued in 2018. That report identified five high-priority areas: integrative data science, quantum science, neuroscience, inflammation, and environmental and evolutionary sciences. Two projects—the Kline Tower and Kline Geology Laboratory—directly addressed the data science and environmental and evolutionary sciences priorities.

The University of California, Berkeley held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in May of 2026 to celebrate the approaching completion of the Barbara and Gerson Bakar Gateway building. The $557 million facility will house the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society (CDSS) and bring together approximately 1,325 faculty, students, and staff to elevate education and accelerate AI-driven discovery.

The University of Louisville broke ground in April of 2026 on the Health Sciences Building to advance discovery and provide the critical infrastructure needed to prepare the next generation of healthcare providers in Kentucky and beyond. Designed by Champlin | EOP and Perkins&Will, the $280 million facility will act as a nexus for the schools of medicine, nursing, public health, information sciences, and dentistry.

Providence Health Care is constructing the new St. Paul’s Hospital at the Jim Pattison Medical Campus in Vancouver. Designed by HDR and Stantec, the CAD 2.18 billion (USD 1.59 billion) building will integrate leading-edge technology to expand access to care and elevate patient outcomes.

Louisiana State University (LSU) opened the Our Lady of the Lake Health Interdisciplinary Science Building in April of 2026 in Baton Rouge. Serving as a vibrant nexus for scientific inquiry, STEM education, and industry collaboration, the new home of the College of Science drives innovation in the five key focus areas of geology and geophysics, chemistry, biological sciences, mathematics, and astronomy and physics.

TerraPower broke ground in April of 2026 on the flagship Natrium plant's Kemmerer Unit 1 in Wyoming. Anticipated to be the first utility-scale advanced nuclear power plant in the United States, the pioneering facility will feature a 345-MW sodium-cooled fast reactor with an integrated molten salt-based energy system. Each Natrium reactor will have the capacity to increase output to 500 MW for over five hours in response to peaks in demand, supplying the equivalent energy needed to power 400,000 homes.

Central Washington University is constructing the North Academic Complex in Ellensburg as a unified home for the College of Arts and Humanities. Designed by Opsis Architecture and NAC, the $108 million facility will house a 240-seat lecture hall with state-of-the-art technological capabilities, 21 active learning classrooms, and 109 faculty offices.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville opened the Health Sciences Complex in April of 2026 to provide leading-edge facilities for the School of Pharmacy and the School of Nursing. The $117.4 million project encompassed the construction of a three-story, 106,000-sf structure that links two renovated and expanded buildings via an activated two-story atrium.

The University of Florida opened the Whitney Marine Research Center in April of 2026 in Marineland, Fla. Designed by Lord Aeck Sargent and TTV Architects, the $41.2 million facility more than doubles the available research space for the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience while expanding capacity for education and conservation efforts. The 38,000-sf building features 12 leading-edge labs, a dedicated microscopy area, aquaculture venues, and a maker space equipped with 3D printers and laser cutters.

The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Health and the Office of Disaster Recovery are constructing the Donna M. Christian Christensen MD Health Center to revitalize public medical infrastructure in Saint Croix. Flad Architects and Taller Larjas designed the 117,000-sf facility, which will support primary care, laboratory services, emergency medical care, dentistry, and environmental health, as well as behavioral health and services for women, infants, and children.

Collecting and analyzing data is par for the course in facilities planning and operations. But how is that data used, for how long, and how often is it updated? Poorly curated data can be barely more useful than no data at all. But many institutions don’t know where to start or how to make the best use of data they already have. Mining and strategically analyzing information can provide data-driven insights into space needs to help increase utilization, create space planning programs, and understand carbon footprints. 

Aviva Investors completed construction in April of 2026 on a 56,000-sf life sciences facility in Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Located in the Chesterford Research Park, the Sidney Sussex Building houses 10 individual R&D suites that range upwards from 2,245 sf in size and offer wet labs, open office environments, and write-up areas. BCR Infinity Architects designed the flexible structure to be scaleable, providing the ability to combine units to accommodate unique tenant requirements and support growth.

Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) opened the Vista Pavilion in April of 2026 as an extension to its Marquam Hill campus in Portland. Designed by NBBJ, the $650 million facility provides 128 dedicated beds for complex oncology treatment led by Knight Cancer Institute experts. Four floors are now operational, and future plans will add 56 inpatient beds as well as an entire floor for interventional radiology and imaging.

The Arkansas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is constructing a $200 million replacement facility for the state crime laboratory in North Little Rock. Driving scientific innovation and expanding capacity for the justice system, the 190,000-sf building will support advanced forensic disciplines including DNA analysis, toxicology, digital forensics, firearms examination, and other critical services.