The Life Sciences sector in New England continues to evolve, and this issue highlights the latest trends and the practices being implemented to create flexible spaces that accommodate the diverse needs of these companies. On the forefront is a focus on sustainability and creating energy-efficient buildings, while addressing the unique challenges of designing these types of facilities.
Anastasia Barnes
A highlight of this issue is an article by Allen Koester, Will Knapp, and Anderson Kong of Salas O’Brien entitled Decarbonization of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Facilities. They say the demands of these facilities “make decarbonization particularly challenging, yet the industry is increasingly committed to reducing its carbon footprint.” They share meaningful insight on the focus areas that “offer significant potential for impactful, scalable carbon reduction,” and ways companies can achieve decarbonization goals. Read the article on page 20.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Paul E. Dietel, assistant vice president for planning design and construction at Brown University, who expands on the university’s Danoff Laboratories project that is currently underway. Dietel explains the extensive planning efforts involved in a project of this scale. It is set to be one of the first net-zero laboratory constructions in New England, with an anticipated opening date of spring 2027. Dietel provides a detailed layout of the specific energy-efficient measures being implemented to achieve these ambitious goals, and shares his insight on the long-standing impact facilities like these will have on the region’s sustainability goals. Read the interview on page 15.
On page 28, we highlight the Stonegate St. Patrick Redevelopment project in Natick, Mass. Nauset Construction is well underway on construction of the 4-story, 89,500sf structure, which will include 46 apartments and 14,000sf of restaurant and retail space. Read more about this exciting project that vice president of Nauset Construction, Benjamin Goldfarb, says is set to become the “cornerstone for the neighborhood.” Construction is anticipated to be completed in spring of 2025.
The Associated Builders and Contractors New Hampshire/Vermont chapter (ABC NH/VT) celebrated its annual Excellence in Construction Awards on Oct. 24 in Manchester, N.H. ReArch Company took home this year’s Chairman’s Award, the contest’s top honor. See the complete list of this year’s winners on page 46!
We are now accepting submissions for the very last issue of 2024! It’s hard to believe the year is coming to a close. The issue has a focus on Year-in-Review and Awards, so be sure to send us news of your company’s finished projects or industry achievements, or a wrap-up of what you have been up to this year. The issue will include our annual Green Supplement, which features the AEC industry’s latest green technology and building products, and insights on the current industry trends in sustainability and green building practices. The deadline for the Green Supplement is Nov. 15, and the deadline for the December issue is Nov. 20.
Enjoy the read!
Anastasia Barnes
