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Construction, renovation and relocation projects happening this spring are rapidly increasing the footprint of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at CU Boulder.

Transformations at the Jennie Smoly Caruthers Biotechnology Building and the Engineering Center, along with faculty transitions to new interdisciplinary spaces, will help accommodate additional talented students and faculty members as the nationally ranked department grows in size and stature.

“Because of all this work, space will not constrain the department in the next decade,” said Doug Smith, assistant dean for programs and engagement in the College of Engineering and Applied Science. “They will have enough room to grow.”

JSCBB

Among the most visible of the projects is the fifth wing at the Jennie Smoly Caruthers Biotechnology Building (JSCBB), where construction began in mid-February.

The $32 million project will add about 37,500 square feet of usable space to the building, which opened in 2012 on CU Boulder’s East Campus and houses the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (ChBE), the Division of Biochemistry and the BioFrontiers Institute. Of that space, ChBE will gain about 10,000 square feet, including three labs, a classroom, six offices and a conference room.

“We have gathered these three prestigious groups of researchers into one building, allowing them to collaborate and conduct their science in a different way,” said Lee Silbert, director of operations and finance for the biotechnology building. “This addition will provide us with a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with even more investigators."

Construction of the building shell, classrooms and conference rooms is expected to be finished by February 2017. Additional funding from corporations and individuals is needed to complete the laboratories and offices.

Adolfson & Peterson Construction will incorporate the same large windows, brick with limestone accents, clay tile roof and “neighborhood” structure as the rest of the building while adding three stories and two exterior courtyards.

Adding on to a bustling academic building has its challenges, but planners are taking numerous steps to avoid disturbing the teaching and research occurring inside, Silbert said.

Especially critical is ensuring that the animals in the building’s vivarium are not disturbed by noise and vibration and that the sophisticated imaging and laser instruments used in research labs remain stable. Electronic monitors have been installed throughout the building to check for vibration issues, and researchers have not reported any problems so far, according to Silbert.

Engineering Center

Meanwhile, renovations started this spring on the south wing of the Engineering Center, the primary teaching and research hub for several engineering departments. The two-story wing has been gutted to host redesigned laboratory space, offices, conference rooms, active learning classrooms, a student lounge and coffee shop, plus updated HVAC and water systems, Smith said.

Several departments will share the space, with about 15 to 20 percent allocated for chemical and biological engineering, he said. All of the building’s residents will benefit from increased natural light and a welcoming two-story southern entrance.

The renovations are scheduled to be complete by fall 2017, although some portions of the first floor will be shelled until additional funding is secured to complete the labs, Smith said.

SEEC

As part of the renovations, four ChBE professors recently moved into the new Sustainability, Energy and Environment Complex adjacent to the biotechnology building. The interdisciplinary space combines researchers from several departments and national labs who are focused on solving energy and environmental challenges.

Building Momentum

The additional space is critical, as the department has increased its undergraduate population by more than 65 percent in the last eight years, with plans to add as many as 15 new faculty members and 90 more PhD students in the coming years, department chair Dan Schwartz said.

Co-locating with researchers and students from other disciplines has led to intriguing new partnerships, and these building upgrades will continue that momentum, he said.

“JSCBB has greatly enhanced interactions between the chemical and biological engineering department and other biotechnology researchers across the campus, and we hope to continue to build this synergy in the coming years,” Schwartz said. “Simultaneously, other research efforts in the department can benefit greatly from proximity with unique facilities and researchers that are based in the Engineering Center. We ultimately plan to take advantage of both of these environments, while maintaining a cohesive community through many ongoing department-wide activities and programs.”

Current plans for the fifth wing at the Jennie Smoly Caruthers Biotechnology Building include construction of the exterior shell, classrooms and conference rooms, while the offices and laboratories will remain incomplete until additional funding is secured. With generous support from donors and friends of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, the university can convert this shelled space into state-of-the-art research facilities.

To learn more about the construction and renovation projects and how you or your company can help complete the department’s laboratories, contact Jodi Hubble at (303)735-8125 or jodi.hubble@colorado.edu.