Research and Development

GE Aviation is building three new facilities in the United States. A 300,000-sf manufacturing plant in Ellisville, Miss., will produce composite components for jet engines and aircraft systems when it opens in early 2013. In Auburn, Ala., a 300,000-sf factory producing advanced machined parts for commercial and military engines will be completed by the end of 2012. Lastly, the 120,000-sf Electrical Power Integrated Systems Research and Development Center (EPISCENTER) is under construction at the University of Dayton.

The University of Nottingham opened the $11.4 million Gateway Building in February of 2012 in the United Kingdom. Designed by Make Architects, the four-story, 33,368-sf facility features a straw bale curtainwall that provides robust insulation for the classrooms, research labs, and offices of the School of Biosciences and the School of Veterinary Medicine and Sciences. 

Emory University broke ground in December of 2011 on the Dual-Function Facility at Yerkes National Primate Research Center in Atlanta. Supported by $15 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the three-story, 19,800-sf building will house the Emory Institute for Drug Discovery and the Center for Innovative Genetics. The project will support research in emerging infectious diseases and will include vivarium space and procedure suites. Completion is expected in spring of 2013.

The University of California, Berkeley broke ground on the $145 million Computational Research and Theory (CRT) facility on February 1, 2012. Located at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the 145,000-sf project will accommodate approximately 300 researchers and staff engaged in interdisciplinary supercomputing research. The CRT will house the Department of Energy’s National Energy Research Scientific Computing (NERSC) Center, the Computational Research Division, and the Energy Sciences Network.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will build a second research campus on 120 acres in Richmond, Calif. Located at the Richmond Field Station, the 2 million-sf complex will support research on renewable energy, bioscience, human genomics, and cancer. The campus will house over 800 scientists and is expected to open in 2016. 

The University of Alabama opened the $70 million South Engineering Research Center in January of 2012 in Tuscaloosa. The three-story, 208,000-sf facility provides over 40 research and instructional labs, lecture halls, classrooms, conference rooms, and office space for over 175 faculty, staff, and students. The building, which features a large combustion lab, will accommodate research in structures, electromechanical systems, dynamics, embedded systems, and automotive combustion and energy. 

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is planning to build the $20 million Molecular Cancer Imaging Facility in Boston. The laboratory will allow physicians to better diagnose and characterize cancer, choose targeted therapies, monitor treatment efficacy, and improve the outcomes of adult and pediatric patients with cancer. The project is supported by $10 million in funding from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.  

The University of Ottawa is building a 16-story facility to house the Faculty of Social Sciences. The $112.5 million project is an expansion of the existing Vanier Hall and includes 277,700 sf of new construction and 145,000 sf of renovation. Designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, the building will provide additional research space for neuroscience, economics, experimental psychology, management, and public policy. The facility features a 225-seat tiered lecture hall, a 120-seat classroom, a multistory atrium, and a green roof.

Carnegie Mellon University plans to break ground in summer of 2012 on a $70 million facility for research in energy, nanotechnology, and biomedical science. The 80,000-sf project will accommodate programs in biomedical engineering and is expected to open in 2015. 

The University of Nebraska Medical Center is planning to build a $370 million cancer complex in Omaha. The 670,000-sf project will include four buildings. The $110 million, 250,000-sf Cancer Research Tower will house 98 labs in a ten-story facility. The $150 million, 200,000-sf Multidisciplinary Outpatient Cancer Treatment Center will be a nine story building featuring subterranean radiation therapy suites. The $63 million, 125,000-sf Cancer Inpatient Facility will be six stories tall and provide 108 beds.

Bayer HealthCare opened its expanded research and development facility in Coon Rapids, Minn., in January of 2012. The 80,000-sf project houses manufacturing cleanrooms and R&D labs for the development of therapeutic treatment devices for vascular occlusions. 

Florida Atlantic University opened the $19.3 million Harbor Branch Research Laboratory II in January of 2012 in Fort Pierce, Fla. Designed by PGAL with RFD (Research Facilities Design) as laboratory design consultant, the 42,000-sf project features 18 advanced research labs totaling 16,500 nsf, as well as lab support, offices, and conference rooms. The project construction manager was Balfour Beatty. LEED Silver sustainable design certification will be sought for the facility. 

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center completed construction of a cleanroom facility for the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission in January of 2012 in Greenbelt, Md. The 4,200-sf lab will accommodate the assembly and integration of four MMS spacecraft. Created by renovating an existing warehouse, the smart cleanroom features advanced filtration system that provides an environment with less that 10,000 particles per cubic foot.

The University of North Carolina Coastal Studies Institute is building a $32.5 million campus in Manteo, N.C. Designed by Pearce Brinkley Cease + Lee, the 60,000-sf interdisciplinary research and education facility is sited on 213 acres and will include classrooms, teaching and research labs, and an auditorium. LEED sustainable design certification will be sought for the project, which will include an advanced wastewater treatment system, geothermal heating and cooling, and a passive solar design.

Dow Corning opened the $11.5 million Solar Energy Exploration and Development (SEED) facility in January of 2012. The two-building project is located in Seneffe, Belgium, and includes the Solar Application Centre and the Silicone Synthesis Technology Centre. Designed by Group IPS, the sustainably designed R&D facility features a geothermal energy system with a heat pump, photovoltaic window shades, a glazed façade, and vacuum insulation panels.