Providence, RI – Shawmut Design and Construction joined Brown University, KieranTimberlake, and members of the community for a dedication ceremony of the university’s new Engineering Research Center, which was completed in October of 2017.
The new three-story, 80,000sf research building, broke ground in October of 2015 and was completed months ahead of schedule due to innovative delivery methods such as Integrated Project Delivery and Lean Construction, the first of its kind at Brown.
The state-of-the-art facility boasts an 8,000sf cleanroom for nanomaterials, microelectronics, and photonics, imaging suite, bioimaging suite, 22 open-plan research labs, collaboration and support spaces, a café, and secondary entrances and connections to surrounding buildings.
Designed by KieranTimberlake, the $88 million-dollar project is tracking LEED Gold Certification with an energy and performance goal of 25% better than the minimum efficiency and performance criteria established in the Rhode Island-adopted International Energy Conservation Code. This is achieved through an environmentally conscious design, including: 60 glass reinforced concrete vertical fins to manage solar gain; four water-filling stations; and a façade made from 40% glass, capturing natural daylight, lowering costs, and improving health and well-being of the community. The new facility also supports high-precision, high-impact research through a below grade solid concrete slab that minimizes vibrations from passing traffic that can disrupt nanoscale measurements.
