Construction on biology facilities continues

Construction of the Undergraduate Teaching Laboratories and Biology Research Wing, an expansion to the Mudd Hall Biology complex, is well underway. The building will have energy efficient features, such as two heat wheels and rain gardens, and house both research and course  laboratory facilities. Having started construction in June 2011, the building is slated for occupancy by summer of 2013.

"We're actually slightly ahead of schedule, but we never say that," Travers Nelson, Program Manager of Design and Construction, said. "You always try to get ahead of schedule because you don't know what's coming down the road. So as far as what we say, we are right on schedule."

Foundations for parts of the building are already in place. With the main structure of the basement, ground floor and first floor completed, Nelson notes that they are about ready to pour the second floor. There will be a third floor and a penthouse above these stories.

Many features of the building are intended to be environmentally friendly and energy efficient. The side of the building facing north will be made entirely of glass, providing a view of the Bufano Sculpture Garden.

"[This] wall will provide a view of the sculpture garden and a lot ... [of] north natural light, which of course is ideal, into the building. [This] will help us reduce lighting loads" Nelson said.

The building will also have two heat wheels to help heat and cool the building. The heat wheel, a disc made from a honeycomb-like material, transfers heat between exhaust and intake air. During the summer months when the intake air will be warmer, it will be cooled by this process and during the winter months, it will be heated.

The building will also be equipped with cooling beams, that will circulate cold water throughout the ceilings in order to regulate the building's temperature.

"It's a lot more energy efficient to circulate cold water to get cooling out of water than it is to blow cold air through the building," Nelson said.

Both the heat wheels and cooling beams process is a low cost method of heating and cooling air and represents a significant energy savings.

There will also be rain gardens on the north side of the building that will take rainwater collected from the roof and surroundings of the building and filter it before it becomes storm water discharge, a contributor to water pollution. Therefore, there will not be an increase in storm water due to the new building on campus.

"The environment will be better off for having built the building," Nelson said.

The new wing will have three floors of teaching labs, while the top floor's lab facility will be solely for research purposes. All undergraduate lab sciences will be housed here, with lab facilities being wheelchair accessible.

"The existing labs were compliant with requirements when they were built," Nelson said. "But requirements have increased overtime, so it's time to catch up."

Mudd Hall will also get an upgrade as the Undergraduate Teaching Laboratories and Biology Research Wing takes shape. The renovations include replacing the single, centered staircase in the Mudd Hall lobby with two staircases placed to the left and right of the current one. A commons area will also be built atop the main Mudd Hall lecture hall. Enclosed between the buildings of the Mudd Hall Biology complex, the commons will have a glass wall, a coffee bar and a seating area similar to that of the Gilman Atrium. Mudd Hall's lobby renovations are scheduled to occur this summer to avoid causing disruptions during the academic semester.