Higher Education

The University of Florida's $90.5 million Biomedical Sciences Building in Gainesville was awarded LEED Gold sustainable design certification in July of 2010. The eight-story, 163,000-sf translational research facility houses the Health Science Center Colleges, the Biomedical Engineering Department of the College of Engineering, and Animal Care Services. The building opened in November of 2009 and was dedicated in May of 2010.

The University of California Santa Barbara was awarded LEED certification for its Life Sciences and Engineering II buildings in June of 2010. A 20,000-sf addition to the Engineering II facility was awarded LEED Gold certification for new construction. The facility was completed in early 2010 and houses classrooms, labs, and administrative offices for the Solid State Lighting and Energy Center. The 80,000-sf Life Sciences Building was awarded LEED Silver in the existing buildings category. The facility house 35,000 sf of lab space and a 150-seat lecture hall.

Kennesaw State University completed construction of the 200,000-sf Health Science Building in Kennesaw, Ga., in July of 2010. Designed by Cooper Carry, the facility provides labs and classrooms for the WellStar College of Health and Human Services. Consolidating departments previously located in seven separate buildings, the facility features a wet lab for faculty research, a data analysis room, nine technology-rich classrooms, simulation suites, and 13,000 sf of nursing laboratory space.

Griffith University is planning to construct the $21 million Sir Samuel Griffith Building in Nathan, Queensland, Australia. Designed by Cox Architects, the zero-emission facility will utilize solar-hydrogen energy and will be completely self-powered. The six-story, 4,000-sm building will house laboratories, classrooms, and offices for environmental science research and teaching. The Griffith Building will also function as a demonstration project for solar-hydrogen energy systems.

San Jacinto College broke ground on the 95,000-sf Transportation Center in June of 2010 in Pasadena, Calif. The $20 million facility will house the school’s automotive department and is expected to open in August of 2011. The building will provide 48 automotive bays for instruction in vehicle repair and maintenance. The project team includes Morris Architects and general contractor Durotech. LEED Silver sustainable design certification will be sought for the facility.

The University of Toledo is partnering with Ohio State University to develop the Center for Algal Engineering Research and Commercialization in Toledo, Ohio. Located on the Scott Park Campus for Energy and Innovation, the algae biofuels R&D project is supported by $3 million in funding from the Ohio Third Frontier Wright Projects Program.

Washington State University broke ground on the $35 million School for Global Animal Health on June 25, 2010. The 62,000-sf facility is sited adjacent to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Pullman. Housing research laboratories for the study of zoonotic diseases, emerging pathogen detection, and vaccine development, the three-story project is slated for completion in spring of 2012. The project team includes Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects and Bouten Construction Company.

The University of Mississippi will construct a second research facility at the Thad Cochran Research Center in Oxford, Miss. Providing expanded research space for the university's National Center for Natural Products Research, the building will include FDA clinical research labs and a botanical specimen repository.  The project is supported by $31.7 million in funding from three federal agencies. Completion is expected in summer of 2013.

The University of Florida is planning to build a $30 million facility to house the Clinical and Translational Science Institute. The 80,000-sf project will be built as an addition to the planned Institute on Aging research complex in Gainesville. Completion is expected by March of 2013.

George Mason University dedicated its $42 million Biomedical Research Laboratory on June 11, 2010. Located on the Prince William campus in Manassas, Va., the facility is one of 13 Regional Biocontainment Laboratories funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The 53,000-sf project houses 20,000 sf of laboratory space, including BSL-3 labs for biological threat and infectious disease research. The facility will be operated by George Mason University’s National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases (NCBID).

The University of South Florida is planning to construct the $20 million Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS) in Tampa. Construction will begin on the 60,000-sf facility by January of 2011. The building will include an advanced surgical training laboratory, a virtual hospital with simulators, and a 150-seat videoconferencing auditorium. Completion is expected in 2012.

George Washington University Medical Center opened the GW School of Nursing in June of 2010. The school will be housed in two locations at the University’s campuses in Washington, D.C., and Loudon County, Va.

Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center will begin construction in November of 2010 on the $34 million Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Ecosystem Science in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The 86,000-sf facility will be designed and built by Moss Miller, LLC. The project is supported by $15 million in federal stimulus funding and will double the footprint of the existing NSU Oceanographic Center. Completion is expected in December of 2011. LEED Silver sustainable design certification will be sought for the five-story facility.

The University of Nevada is building the 57,814-sf William N. Pennington Health Sciences Building in Reno. Slated for completion in fall of 2011, the three-story facility will housing nursing and medical programs. The $48 million facility is being built by Sundt Construction of Tucson. Ground was broken on the project in December of 2009.

Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) opened the Visdec Electronic Decision Theater in June of 2010. The facility features 240 degrees of arced screens to support advanced visualization and simulation for technology-enhanced decision making. Huazhong University is located in Wuhan, China.