Costs
The Lead
3 Reasons to Not Miss the Lab Design Conference
February 26, 2013 10:57 am | News | Comments
Why haven’t you signed up for the Lab Design Conference yet? Time is running out to reserve your space at this annual, lab design/planning/building event. This year's Lab Design Conference will be held April 8-10, 2013 in Houston. NOTE: The discounted room block ends on March 15th. Book your hotel reservation before this deadline to save!
Affordable lab space for bioentrepreneurs
April 5, 2013 1:25 pm | by Bill Hunter | Articles | Comments
Research and development-oriented real estate has evolved significantly over the past decade....
February jobs report shows gains for construction and architecture
March 15, 2013 4:38 pm | News | Comments
Down overall to 7.7% in February from 7.9% in January, the U.S. Department of Labor's February...
Save the Date: Laboratory Design Conference Spring 2013
October 16, 2012 12:26 pm | News | Comments
The annual Laboratory Design Conference, sponsored by Advantage Business Media and Laboratory...
Architecture Billings Index continues to improve at a healthy pace
April 1, 2013 12:53 pm | News | CommentsWith increasing demand for design services, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) is continuing to strengthen. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending.
Lab Design Conference Room Discount Ends Soon
February 22, 2013 3:08 pm | News | CommentsThe annual Laboratory Design Conference will be held April 8-10, 2013 at the JW Marriott Houston. The discounted room block rate ends March 15, 2013. Attendees and those who are considering attending are encouraged to make a reservation today to ensure accomodations at the conference rate.
Research space at academic institutions increased 3.5% between 2009 and 2011
February 19, 2013 12:27 pm | News | CommentsScience and engineering research space at the nation's research-performing colleges and universities increased 3.5% from 2009 to 2011, according to a recent National Science Foundation survey. The biological and biomedical sciences continued to account for the bulk of growth, increasing by 8.0% during this period.
Renovate vs. new? Count down your options
February 11, 2013 10:39 am | by Andy Vazzano, FAIA | Articles | CommentsThe inherent limitations of existing facilities—safety, energy performance, floorplate and height constraints, and so on—can make renovation an extensive and expensive undertaking. Let's explore a "Top 10" approach to analyzing the "renovation vs. new construction" dilemma.
February 2013 Laboratory Design Newsletter Issue Info Resources
February 8, 2013 10:47 am | News | Comments“Tracking the Sun,” an annual PV cost-tracking report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, indicates that the median installed price of residential and commercial photovoltaic systems completed in 2011 fell by 11 to 14% from the year before, and (in California) prices dropped an additional 3 to 7% during the first six months of 2012.
R&D and related projects score mid-level rankings in construction forecast
January 23, 2013 9:09 am | News | CommentsAn annual analysis of the architecture, engineering, and construction business by consultant The JAGG Group indicates that science buildings won't be booming this year—but shouldn't lag, either. The "2013 Guide to the US AEC Markets" pegs apartments as the nation's top construction market sector.
AIA Billings Index continues upward momentum
January 8, 2013 3:02 pm | News | CommentsThe Architecture Buildings Index of the American Institute of Architects gained ground in November: the fourth consecutive monthly rise in the much-watched economic indicator. The national ABI was 53.2: the highest score in five years. (Any score higher than 50 indicates an increase in billings).
Construction climate steadily improving: Reports
December 18, 2012 12:38 pm | News | CommentsThe building industry is looking up and likely to continue to do so in 2013, according to "Construction Economics Winter 2012: Market Conditions in Construction," a report by Gilbane Building Co. Overall construction spending is expected to finish at nearly 8% over 2011.
Awards recognize the best in sustainable labs
December 12, 2012 2:50 pm | Articles | CommentsI2SL, in partnership with R&D Magazine and Laboratory Design, is pleased to acknowledge the winners of the fifth annual Go Beyond Awards. Go Beyond Award winners show their commitment to the goals of excellence in sustainability in laboratory and other high-technology facility projects by going beyond the facility itself.
AIA Billings Index finally positive
December 4, 2012 4:29 pm | News | CommentsThe Architecture Billings Index of the American Institute of Architects ventured into positive territory in August, for the first time in the past five months, and then repeated the upward motion in September and October. The index stood at 50.2 in August, 51.6 in September, and 52.8 in October.
AIA says building industry imperiled by mandatory spending cuts
November 6, 2012 10:25 am | News | CommentsA new report by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) says Congress and the White House must agree on a federal budget by Jan. 2, or massive mandatory spending cuts will kick in, potentially wreaking havoc on the building industry.
Get with the program: Planning for renovation
October 11, 2012 1:29 pm | by Charles A. Johnsrud, RA, Johnsrud Architects | Articles | CommentsThere is a time-honored process for the creation of a new building or renovation of an existing one. However, over the past decade, new factors have emerged that influence the design process. Alternative techniques have been developed in response, to ensure an effective result.
Ductwork solves lab construction challenge
October 11, 2012 10:43 am | by Conquest Firespray | Articles | CommentsIn June 2010, the Helios Energy Lab Research Facility at the University of California-Berkeley had already been designed and contracted to proceed with construction. As had been typical, the design included gypsum board (drywall) enclosures with air gaps and multiple layers of fire wrap insulation. This code-defined method of construction required significant space around the SMACNA duct resulting in major fit and access problems.
2012 Outlook: Lab building costs start to rebound
August 21, 2012 11:58 am | by Ted Hammer, FAIA, LEED AP, and Carlie Campesi | Articles | CommentsAs of the writing of this report in June 2012, construction costs are on the rise from last year, with costs increasing from their post-crash decline. Overall, costs have risen about 2% from 2011, and construction costs in the R&D sector have risen about 2% since January 2011. Construction costs are expected to rise between 3% and 4% during 2012 going into year 2013.
Doing more with less: The ups and downs of modern laboratory design
August 9, 2012 11:41 am | by Lindsay Hock | Articles | CommentsIn tough economic times, construction projects often are early victims to budget cuts. During the recent recession, research laboratories were no exception. Many laboratory construction projects were delayed or canceled. However, a majority of architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms surveyed by R&D Magazine say the laboratory construction business is picking up again.
Cost cutting remains powerful driver toward green
June 29, 2012 7:41 am | News | CommentsA new study by Johnson Controls' Institute for Building Efficiency, the "Energy Efficiency Indicator," reveals that cutting costs is the biggest incentive behind managing energy efficiency for building owners and operators, worldwide.
Architecture billings down in May
June 29, 2012 7:34 am | News | CommentsIn a disheartening development, the American Institute of Architects’ monthly Architecture Billings Index was 45.8 in May, down from 48.4 in April.
The Pennsylvania State University, Mueller and Whitmore Laboratories renovation, University Park.
June 29, 2012 4:59 am | News | CommentsThe Pennsylvania State University will renovate its Mueller and Whitmore Laboratories, which serve more than 15,000 students annually and provide primary laboratory facilities for the university's biology and chemistry departments. Renovations will address issues of space, safety, and technology.
Lab of the Year: Wisconsin project celebrates public-private synergy
June 15, 2012 9:36 am | by Julie Higginbotham | Articles | CommentsThis 330,000-ft 2 , $175.3-million facility, focused on biology, information technology, and engineering, includes an underground research floor, three research floors, a ground-level "Town Center," an auxiliary service building, and a mechanical penthouse. Its unusual and effective building organization, strong sense of public outreach, and high degree of flexibility and social engineering led judges to honor the project as Laboratory of the Year 2012.
Report predicts better construction outlook
June 5, 2012 11:04 am | News | CommentsThe free periodic report Construction Economics—Market Conditions in Construction , prepared by Gilbane Building Co., sees inconsistent performance but reason for hope.
Post-conference materials from Lab Design Pittsburgh available
May 15, 2012 9:01 am | News | CommentsPDF files of all the presentations from the recent Pittsburgh Laboratory Design Conference are now available for purchase on either an individual-use or organizationwide-use basis.
Construction outlook optimistic: Report
April 3, 2012 10:42 am | News | CommentsThe 2012 Construction Outlook Report for the first quarter, prepared by FMI, a management consulting and investment banking firm focused on engineering and construction, predicts a 5% increase in total construction put in place for 2012 compared with 2011.
Bio, agro lab a loser, NIST a winner in FY 2013 budget
March 20, 2012 11:35 am | News | CommentsThe National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kan., is jeopardized in the FY 2013 budget for the Department of Homeland Security. The Obama administration requested no new money for the project and stated an intention to further assess the need for such a facility, which will cost an estimated $650 million.
Global sustainability issues will hit businesses: Report
February 29, 2012 8:31 am | News | CommentsAn analysis by KPMG International indicates that businesses will have to cope with rapidly increasing costs due to environmental impacts—possibly doubling every 14 years.
R & D funding forecast predicts continued growth
January 17, 2012 9:02 am | News | CommentsThe 2012 Global R&D Funding Forecast, prepared by R&D Magazine in association with Battelle, predicts growth of ~5.2% this year, to more than $1.4 trillion.
