Skanska provided construction management at risk services for the 90,000-SF state-of-the-art academic/research facility that houses teaching, research and technology resource space for biotechnology and related interdisciplinary programs. The Bioscience Building is open to more than 800 undergraduate biology majors at JMU. The biology department at the University focuses on undergraduate research and, therefore, facility areas include four special interactive media classrooms and 13 instructional labs devoted to hands-on learning and experience in multi-disciplinary subjects, including an animal facility and research greenhouse. Each lab uniquely reflects the type of learning taking place there and includes specialized features such as fume hoods for experiments and touch-screen panels mounted on adjustable arms to easily accommodate the need for extra desk space. The classrooms and labs were designed to promote flexibility, interaction and collaboration. SMART boards are used in some of rooms, enabling students to work in small groups and share their findings with the entire class. To promote a sense of unity between the different biology disciplines, classrooms and labs were built using indoor glass windows so students can walk the halls and feel connected to the other disciplines within the building. The facility also encourages instructors to take teaching outside of the classroom by providing outdoor learning spaces equipped with chalk boards. These spaces enable the students to take a hands-on approach to the study of plants and nature. The project is LEED Silver certified.
