Higher Education

Richard Stockton College opened the $39.5 million United Sciences Center in September of 2013 in Galloway Township, N.J. The 66,350-sf facility provides technology-rich laboratories, classrooms, lecture halls, conference rooms, and computer labs. The sustainably designed building utilizes Richard Stockton College's existing geothermal heating and cooling system. The project team included EYP Architecture and Engineering, construction manager Bovis Lend Lease, and general contractor Dobco Group.

Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) is proving that extensive planning and looking beyond typical short-term measures can net significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, as well as cost savings, even in high-powered lab facilities. In only the third year of a 17-year project, CUMC has realized a 4 percent drop in greenhouse gasses, and a 15 percent drop in utility costs.

A 168,300-sf addition and 43,000-sf renovation to the Marshall Conant Science Center allows Bridgewater State University to consolidate biology, chemistry, earth science, geography, physics, math, and computer science departments under one roof to accommodate the 10-fold increase in full-time enrollment since the center was built in 1964. The project transforms an outdated building into a state-of-the-art science facility that revitalizes the heart of the main campus by improving the campus space outside the building and fundamentally changing the way science is studied within.

The National University of Ireland, Galway has begun construction on the $27 million Clinical Research Facility and Translational Research Facility (CRF-TRF). The four-story, 57,000-gsf project is located on the grounds of University Hospital Galway to support collaborative research and patient care. The ground and first floors will house the Health Research Board (HRB) Clinical Research Facility which will include an area for the study of regenerative medicine.

The University of Waterloo opened the $15 million Centre for Intelligent Antenna and Radio Systems (CIARS) in Ontario in September of 2013. Providing advanced facilities for the testing of electromagnetic devices, the project comprises four interconnected indoor laboratories, one outdoor lab, and a computational suite. The 5,000-sf project features a unique multi-configuration electromagnetic radiation lab with an anechoic chamber and terahertz measurement capabilities.

The Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative (BRIC) opened its 330,000-sf facility in Waco, Texas, in September of 2013. The project included renovation of an existing manufacturing facility to provide advanced laboratories, workforce training centers, and business incubator space. The BRIC houses several of Baylor University's research institutes, including the the Center for Spatial Research and the Center for Astrophysics, Space Physics, and Engineering Research (CASPER).

The University of Michigan will begin construction in fall of 2013 on a $50 million academic facility for the School of Nursing. The 78,000-sf building will feature active learning classrooms and a technology-rich clinical training center with simulation suites. The facility will also accommodate a small number of faculty offices. Ground was broken on the project in April of 2013 and occupancy is expected in 2015.

With academic research funding either flat or slumping, it’s time to rethink current laboratory design standards. Concurrent with the funding slide is a hike in both direct costs (salaries, for example) and indirect research costs like spending on facilities operation, equipment, and labor. At the same time, the demand for space continues to increase unabated.

The new College of Pharmacy building at the University of Rhode Island allows the College’s scattered facilities to be housed under one roof for the first time.

Auburn University opened the $28.8 million Mike Hubbard Center for Advanced Science, Innovation and Commerce in September of 2013. Located in the Auburn Research Park, the 84,000-sf facility will support programs in energy, engineering, genomics, ecology, water and food safety, and information science. General contractor Brasfield & Gorrie began building the center in late 2011. The facility provides 20 technology-rich laboratories, a supercomputing suite, seminar rooms, and two large cranes for biofuels research.

The University of Alabama completed construction of the fourth phase of the Science and Engineering Complex in Tuscaloosa in September of 2013. The $58 million, 205,000-sf facility provides 51 research labs, 19 teaching labs, a 7,800-sf cleanroom, faculty and graduate student offices, conference rooms, collaboration space, and support. Accommodating research on materials science and advanced sensors, the building features flexible lab and core areas that can be reconfigured to accommodate new technologies as needed.

Winthrop University Hospital celebrated the topping out of the $65 million Winthrop Research Institute in September of 2013 in Mineola, N.Y. The five-story, 95,000-sf building was designed by Perkins Eastman and is slated for completion in 2015. The translational research and academic facility will provide classrooms, a clinical trials center, a simulation training suite, and core laboratories for the study of diabetes, obesity, cardiopulmonary disease, and neurology.

The University of Edinburgh opened the first phase of the National Avian Research Facility in early 2013. The $7.9 million facility is part of a collaborative two-building research campus currently under construction for the Roslin Institute of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Pirbright Institute. Ground was broken on the project in early 2013. Phase two of the $22 million project is expected to open in late 2014.

The University of Nebraska opened the 23,000-sf Biomechanics Research Building in Omaha in September of 2013. The laboratory will support applied translational research on the mechanics of movement and includes a virtual reality suite. The $6 million building houses advanced robotic and imaging technologies and will accommodate collaboration with NASA to develop solutions for the gravitational challenges faced by returning astronauts.

The University of Utah broke ground on the $36.4 million Ray and Tye Noorda Oral Health Education Building in August of 2013 in Salt Lake City. Located in Research Park, the 80,000-sf facility for the School of Dentistry will provide labs, classrooms, a dental clinic, faculty offices, and administrative space. The project team includes architect MHTN and general contractor Okland Construction, both of Salt Lake City. Completion is expected in December of 2014.