Corporate

Construction began in October of 2020 on the $44.2 million Discovery Square 2 building in Rochester, Minn. Designed by RSP Architects, the 125,000-sf facility will offer leasable research environments for life science companies. Sited in the Destination Medical Center district, the five-story structure will feature advanced laboratory infrastructure, centralized common spaces, and a physical connection to the adjacent One Discovery Square building.

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: 

Avista Development and McKinstry opened the $40 million Catalyst Building in Spokane in September of 2020. Designed by Michael Green Architecture, the five-story, 159,000-sf facility was built by Katerra using cross-laminated timber (CLT) structural components. Certified by the International Living Future Institute, the zero-carbon, net-zero building features a highly efficient heating and cooling system, a sophisticated building envelope, LED lighting, and integrated energy management technologies.

Kajima Corporation, one of Japan's largest construction companies, broke ground in August of 2020 on the $100 million Global Hub in Singapore. Designed to accelerate the creation of new building technologies, the 141,000-sf innovation center will feature a comprehensive robotic solutions suite. The Kajima Technical Research Institute Singapore (KaTris) will be located in the facility, which will leverage advanced automation and digitalization systems to optimize energy performance and reduce carbon emissions.

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.

King Street Properties has fully leased a 214,440-sf research facility in Lexington, Mass., to four pharmaceutical companies. Designed by R E Dinneen Architects & Planners, the four-story building will offer leading-edge lab and office environments for biomedical research. JLL is the leasing agent for the development, which has yet to open. Tenants include:

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.

JAC Construction and its sister company Level 3 Design Group are partnering with Industrial Commercial Systems and Ultraviolet Devices (UVDI) to bring an advanced UV-C air disinfection solution to commercial and hospitality markets. The program, StayProtected, is a comprehensive approach that combines leading technology with holistic methods to help prevent the airborne transmission of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.

16 Tech Community Corporation opened the $50 million Innovation Building 1 in August of 2020 in Indianapolis. Developed by Browning, the 120,000-sf facility was constructed by Davis & Associates and is now fully leased. The Indiana Biosciences Research Institute is occupying 67,000 sf on the first three floors of the building. The five-story structure will accommodate the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, as well as providing 12,000 sf of research space for Indiana University's Center for Regenerative Medicine.

Lincoln Property Company broke ground in July of 2020 on a 140,000-sf life science building in Waltham, Mass. Designed by DiMella Shaffer in collaboration with AHA Consulting Engineers, the four-story structure will offer 35,000 sf of flexible and customizable office and laboratory space on each floor. A robust mechanical penthouse will support the installation of sophisticated infrastructure, and highly resilient energy and telecommunications services will be ensured by an onsite emergency power supply.

UC Davis Health will renovate an existing 194,000-sf facility to provide consolidated administrative space in Rancho Cordova, Calif. Designed by Stantec, the $48 million project will enhance efficiency for several operational groups by creating a central collaborative location. Offering flexible workstation environments, focus rooms, huddle areas, conference rooms, and gathering spaces, the building will accommodate employees working in human resources, finance, revenue, information technology, and executive leadership.

Songbird Life Science has launched a COVID-19 testing and health-protection service for facilities. Promoting public confidence in the occupancy of shared spaces, the company offers rapid onsite testing that provides results in minutes. 

Fitwel launched its Viral Response module in July of 2020. The platform provides annual, third-party building certification of policies and practices informed by the latest public health research on mitigating the spread of infectious diseases. Fitwel, a healthy building certification system operated by The Center for Active Design, was originally created by the U.S. General Services Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.