Higher Education

SSM Health opened the $550 million Saint Louis University Hospital in September of 2020. Designed to elevate the patient experience, the 802,000-sf academic medical center offers 316 private patient rooms, a spacious intensive care unit, and an expanded Level I trauma center and emergency department. Leveraging advanced technologies to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases, the nine-story facility features a sophisticated building automation system that can provide negative air pressure in many areas.

The University of North Carolina Wilmington opened the $66 million Veterans Hall in August of 2020. Housing the College of Health and Human Services, the 145,000-sf facility accommodates programs in nursing, social work, allied health, and exercise science.

The University of Nevada, Reno opened the $92 million William N. Pennington Engineering Building in August of 2020. Designed by H+K Architects, the 100,000-sf facility offers dedicated space for the departments of chemical and materials engineering, civil and environmental engineering, electrical and biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering, and computer science. The collaborative four-story building provides 40 labs, a 200-seat classroom, two computer labs, 40 faculty offices, and 150 graduate student workstations.

The University of Washington broke ground in August of 2020 on the $100 million Health Sciences Education Building in Seattle. Designed by Miller Hull Partnership and The S/L/A/M Collaborative, the four-story, 100,000-sf facility will provide active learning classrooms for groups ranging from 16 to 128 students, as well as simulation suites, clinical skills labs, an anatomy lab with integrated virtual technologies, a commons area, study spaces, and a library.

The University of Nebraska at Kearney opened the $30 million Discovery Hall in September of 2020. Offering technology-rich labs and classrooms for experiential learning, the three-story, 90,000-sf facility accommodates STEM programs in mathematics, engineering, physics, astronomy, construction management, industrial distribution, interior design, aviation, computer science, and information technology.

The University of New Haven opened the $35 million Bergami Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation in August of 2020 in West Haven, Conn. Designed by Svigals+Partners, the three-story, 45,500-sf facility provides sophisticated science and engineering labs, technology-enabled collaborative classrooms, a maker space, an atrium, video production studios, and an e-sports training and competition hub. LEED Gold sustainable design certification is being sought for the structure, which is expected to use 40 percent less energy than a conventional facility.

The new Fourth and Montgomery building, scheduled to open in January 2021 in downtown Portland, Oregon, is a remarkable example of how pooling financial, intellectual, and physical resources can allow public institutions to accomplish much more by working together than would be possible if attempted separately. The seven-story, $111 million building will be owned and occupied by The City of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, Portland Community College’s Dental Sciences Programs, and Portland State University’s (PSU) College of Education and the PSU | Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) PSU School of Public Health. To simplify the process of working with multiple stakeholders, the project team used an integrated project delivery planning tool called “Choosing by Advantages” (CBA) that helped them manage complex decisions and keep the project on schedule and within budget.

Oklahoma State University is constructing the $50 million North Academic Building in Tulsa. Designed by Dewberry, the collaborative health sciences facility will provide classrooms, labs, conference rooms, study areas, and administrative offices. The structure will also house dedicated anatomy and neuro-anatomy labs, the Center for Rural Health, the Center for Health Systems Innovation, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which will include a sophisticated autopsy lab designed for optimal safety, workflow efficiency, and evidence preservation.

Nagasaki University is planning to build a BSL-4 laboratory for SARS-CoV-2 research. The biocontainment facility will be located in an eight-story, 43,000-sf building providing specialized environments for the detection, study, and mitigation of infectious diseases. A dedicated area will accommodate novel coronavirus research. The Japanese government is expected to award $9.5 million in funding for fiscal year 2021 towards the construction of the project, which will also support training programs and the development of human resources.

The University of Colorado opened the $61.4 million William J. Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center in August of 2020 in Colorado Springs. Designed by HOK and RTA Architects, the 104,600-sf facility integrates undergraduate and graduate education with clinical practice and research in a sports medicine and performance environment.

The University of Texas at San Antonio opened the $95 million Science and Engineering Building in August of 2020. Designed by TreanorHL and Alamo Architects, the four-story, 160,349-sf facility provides teaching and research labs, active learning classrooms, and faculty offices to support programs in biology, chemistry, engineering, and neurology.

Middle Tennessee State University opened the $39.6 million Academic Classroom Building in August of 2020 in Murfreesboro. Designed by Bauer Askew Architecture, the 91,200-sf facility provides the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences with 14 classrooms, five computer teaching labs, research labs, specialized instructional suites, and faculty offices.

The COVID Consultants℠ and Better Efficiency Solutions & Technologies LLC (BEST) launched the COVIDefender™ Student Housing Portal in August 2020. Offering tools, guidance, and access to crucial information, the online service enables students and off-campus housing authorities to:

Amherst College in Massachusetts is looking to the future with a new science center that supports active learning and project-based teaching, with a sustainable, energy-efficient design highlighted by innovative labs, high-tech classrooms, and departmental and interdisciplinary collaboration. College leaders say the building—designed with enough flexibility to address new pedagogies and meet the changing needs of students and faculty—will support the science programs through the next century, decrease energy consumption by 76 percent, and create a transformative sense of campus community.

Drexel University is partnering with Wexford Science+Technology to create the Drexel Academic Tower in Philadelphia. Construction began in July of 2020 on the structure, which will provide Drexel with 450,000 sf of rented space in the University City district. The College of Nursing and Health Professions will be located in the building, with classes beginning in fall of 2022.