Clayton State Marks Construction Milestone

October 8, 2014 2169 Views American Chemistry Council, Central U.S., Elizabeth Heider, Gillis & Gilkerson, LEED for Existing Buildings, San Francisco Department of the Environment, SF Environment, Spence Fisher, The Stanford Daily, WorldGBC

MORROW, Ga. — Clayton State University (CSU), a unit of the University System of Georgia, recently celebrated the topping out of the campus’ new Science Building. Once completed, the $19.8 million energy efficient Science Building will provide the school with 64,000 square feet of new high tech instruction and research space.

The university, located approximately 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta, hosted a ceremony to mark the construction milestone on Sept. 12. Along with members of the university community, representatives from the project’s construction firm, McCarthy Building Companies, and architect, S/L/A/M Collaborative Inc., both of Atlanta, gathered at the construction site to sign the final beam before it was positioned atop of the new, state-of-the-art facility.

Upon completion the Science Building will house a number of classrooms, teaching and research labs, offices and support spaces. Spanning three stories, it will also contain a vivarium, mechanical penthouse, mechanical basement and a loading dock.

“Engaging undergraduate students in research is an essential part of their preparation for careers in the natural sciences and health sciences. The innovative laboratory teaching spaces in this building will expand our support of undergraduate research projects where faculty and students work side-by-side in the learning and exploration process,” said Dr. Tim Hynes, president of Clayton State University, in a statement. “Providing these opportunities not only benefit those in our science majors, they also impact allied health students and every student on campus who takes a lab science course for their core requirements.”

Reflective of its goal to promote scientific innovation and education, the Science Building will also incorporate a number of energy efficient materials and systems, and was designed to achieve Georgia Peach Green Building certification. This certification recognizes facilities owned or managed by the State of Georgia that optimize energy performance, increase the demand for local materials and furnishings, improve environmental quality, conserve energy, protect Georgia’s natural resources and reduce the burden on the state’s water supply, according to a statement by McCarthy.

“This project provided McCarthy with the opportunity to truly collaborate with the university, architect and subcontractors to make this building happen,” Kevin Kuntz, McCarthy’s Southeast Division president, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled for CSU and proud to partner with them to help grow their campus.”

Construction began on the new Science Building in November 2013. Currently, the building is on track for a fall 2015 opening. Those interested in more information can follow the project’s progress via Twitter at @McCarthyCSU_NSB or on Instagram at McCarthyCSU_NSB.