Sustainability

Michigan State University’s first new instructional building in 50 years incorporates the disparate elements of a long-mothballed power plant, modular infrastructure, and mass timber. The facility on the East Lansing campus consolidates MSU’s large core undergraduate STEM courses under one roof, with both wet and dry teaching labs, classrooms, and student support space.

Washington University in St. Louis opened the $616 million Jeffrey T. Fort Neuroscience Research Building in January of 2024. Designed by Perkins&Will and CannonDesign, the 608,825-sf facility provides interactive lab neighborhoods where up to 120 teams can engage in collaborative discovery. An 11-story, 584,050-sf research tower is capable of accommodating up to 1,000 investigators from the departments of neurology, neuroscience, neurosurgery, psychiatry, and anesthesiology.

The U.S. Department of Energy is planning to construct the Energy Materials and Processing at Scale (EMAPS) facility at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. Located on the South Table Mountain Campus, the $224 million development will create a direct path from bench-scale materials and process innovations to pilot-scale integration and production.

Global pharmaceutical firm XBiotech will break ground in early 2024 on an expansion of its Austin campus. Designed by MOD Architecture, the 46,000-sf R&D center will catalyze the discovery and development of innovative biomedical therapies, as well as accelerating the commercialization of the company’s Natrunix rheumatology treatment. Wet laboratories for infectious disease research will foster the creation of new vaccines and medications to address emerging health challenges.  

Utah Tech University is constructing the $70.5 million General Classroom Building in St. George to provide next-generation learning environments for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Designed by Method Studio, the 120,091-sf facility will accommodate programs in psychology, applied sociology, criminal justice, English, philosophy, history, political science, and communication and media studies. This vibrant academic hub will offer 53 instructional venues including lecture halls, classrooms, and labs, as well as 26 student collaboration spaces.

AstraZeneca is partnering with Boston Properties to create a 570,000-sf R&D center in Cambridge’s Kendall Square. Housing approximately 1,850 employees, the 16-story building will offer world-class research environments for the creation of advanced biomedical therapies and vaccines. This nexus of innovation and discovery will feature flexible open laboratories arranged in neighborhoods with shared instrumentation suites and collaboration spaces.

Trammell Crow Company is developing Science Square in Atlanta to provide Georgia Tech with state-of-the-art facilities for learning, research, and innovation. Ground was broken in September of 2023 on the third phase of construction at the site, a 416,500-sf complex with two towers linked by a shared circulation core. Envisioned as a vertical quad, this dynamic social zone will offer myriad collaboration venues with a large gathering area for presentations and events.

The University of California, Riverside is constructing a vibrant new home for the School of Business. Created by the design-build team of Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners and McCarthy Building Companies, the $87 million facility will centralize academic activities currently dispersed across campus while accommodating significant programmatic growth.

Wexford Science + Technology will break ground in mid-2024 on Brightwork, the anchor building for the University of Washington’s planned innovation district in Seattle. The 345,000-sf facility will be constructed by Wexford for an estimated cost of $282.5 million, with UW investing $72 million for tenant improvements. After an 80-year lease, the 11-story structure will revert to university ownership.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln opened the $115 million Kiewit Hall in January of 2024. Designed by Clark & Enersen and Ballinger, the 181,500-gsf facility provides leading-edge environments for undergraduate education programs in engineering and construction management. The Garage, a 20,300-sf maker space, includes a high bay space, 3D printers, laser cutters, a CNC machine, a paint booth, and shops for working with wood, metal, and electrical components.

The University of Virginia broke ground on the $350 million Paul and Diane Manning Institute for Biotechnology in December of 2023. Located in the Fontaine Research Park in Charlottesville, the 350,000-sf project will drive innovation in the fields of cellular therapy, gene therapy, nanotechnology, and drug delivery. By collocating state-of-the-art labs and core facilities with advanced manufacturing suites and clinical environments, the four-story building will accelerate the translation of medical discoveries into new solutions for patient care.

Aviva Investors began construction in December of 2023 on a three-story, 60,000-sf life sciences facility in Cambridge, U.K. Located in the Chesterford Research Park, the Sidney Sussex Building will provide 10 individual suites with fully fitted wet labs and open office areas that range from 2,226 sf to 8,409 sf. A dedicated floor of shared conference rooms will promote collaboration and exchange, complemented by inspiring outdoor settings for informal interaction.

Brown University is planning to construct the 300,000-sf Integrated Life Sciences Building (ILSB) in Providence’s Jewelry District. Designed by TenBerke and Ballinger, the seven-story facility will provide six levels of wet and dry laboratories for research programs in biology, medicine, neuroscience, bioengineering, and public health. A publicly accessible ground floor will offer a forum, a gallery, and a café, with a pedestrian thoroughfare for enhanced access to nearby buildings.

Piedmont Virginia Community College is constructing the $28 million Woodrow W. Bolick Advanced Technology + Student Success Center in Charlottesville. Designed by VMDO, the 46,537-sf facility will feature state-of-the-art labs and learning venues for programs in advanced manufacturing, robotics, forensics, and cybersecurity.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin construction in mid-2024 on the $160 million National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture (NCRRPA) in Lincoln, Neb. Designed by HDR, the transformative development will enable the Agricultural Research Service to explore new solutions for sustainable crop production, water management, and animal husbandry. The first phase will provide 12,000 sf of greenhouse space and 10,000 sf of headhouse space that will physically connect to the existing Greenhouse Innovation Center.