Sustainable Laboratory Design Case Study: Coppin State University Science and Technology Center
Punit Jain, Cannon Design
Cannon Design is currently working with Coppin State University on the development of a new Science and Technology Center that will breathe new life into the school's science curriculum and its surrounding community. The new facility is focused on encouraging collaboration across different science departments and between students and faculty. Laboratories and classrooms are designed for project teams of two to eight people who might work together as part of the daily learning experience.
The four-story building spans 145,000 square feet and is sited and massed to create a dramatic presence on North Avenue. Laboratory and support "bars" are gently bent and manipulated to define interior collaboration zones and emphasize the building's dynamic presence while drawing in daylight.
The project implements several innovative sustainable design strategies in its pursuit of LEED® Gold certification. The speaker will discuss these strategies during the presentation and share ideas and thoughts on how others can introduce similar strategies in their projects. The project is also unique in that it builds sustainable value through the renewal of the underdeveloped Baltimore neighborhood, where it injects new energy and positive change into the urban core, thereby bringing sustainability to the people and place where it is most needed.
Punit Jain is the science and technology practice leader at Cannon Design. Mr. Jain brings extensive experience in designing both teaching and research laboratory buildings. Mr. Jain also serves as the firm's sustainable design leader, responsible for promoting high-performance design through LEED certification, conducting training for the firm's professionals and high-performance design practices. Mr. Jain serves on the National Board of the United States Green Building Council. A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis with a master's degree in architecture and construction management, Mr. Jain has taught at the School of Art & Design at Maryville University and St. Louis Community College, and serves as a visiting critic for the schools of architecture at Washington University and the University of Illinois at Champaign. He frequently presents at international conferences and received the individual 2010 Go Beyond Award at the Labs 21 2010 Annual Conference for his continued sustainability efforts.