Arizona is turning into the Silicon Valley of the Southwest as more and more high-tech companies find that the state offers the ingredients they need to be successful. Relatively low real estate costs, access to skilled high-tech workers, and local government support are just a few of the reasons companies like Intel, Dial, and others are choosing to build manufacturing and research facilities here. The presence of general contractors that specialize in this type of construction is another.
“When working to maximize value in the laboratory environment, flexibility, energy efficiency, and resilience must all be considered in addition to a project’s cost, quality and schedule,” said Ryan Abbott, Sundt project director for research facilities.
Sundt, headquartered in Tempe, Ariz., is recognized as one of the area’s foremost experts in research facilities construction. The company has been involved in the design and construction of research facilities for decades, going back to a number of clean rooms built for private defense clients and large public universities. We bring tremendous expertise to this challenging and constantly evolving area. The fact that we’re builders, not just construction managers, makes us especially good at research facility, laboratory, and clean room construction because we know how to approach dynamic problems and bring elegant solutions to the table. This is especially true when we’re brought into a project early through the use of alternative project delivery methods such as Design-Build and Construction Manager at Risk.
Below are some recent examples of Sundt’s research facilities expertise:
- The Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building 4 (ISTB 4) at Arizona State University (ASU), a 297,000-square-foot, eight-story building intended to encourage and enhance the university’s opportunities for collaborative, trans-disciplinary research, education and outreach. The $112 million project also serves as a tool for recruiting top scientists and engineers to ASU.
- Dial Research & Development Facility and Corporate Headquarters in Scottsdale, Ariz., a four-story 220,000-square-foot research and development space with 130,000 square feet of corporate administration and training functions, which sits on top of a three-story, 400,000-square-foot underground parking structure. The building features wet laboratories for product development, FDA and EPA sanctioned pilot plants to simulate product manufacturing processes, think-tank spaces, conference and training facilities, a full-service cafeteria and food service facility, fitness center, green roof gardens and sustainable design throughout.