Skip to main content

Accessibility menu

Skip to main content Skip to footer

Construction of UWL Science Labs building approved

Posted 2:09 p.m. Friday, July 31, 2015

Read more →
Read more →

The UW System Board of Regents approved the design and construction of UWL’s Science Labs Building during its board meeting.

[caption id="attachment_42089" align="alignleft" width="800"]Artistic rendering of the new science labs building from the southwest corner. Artistic rendering of the new science labs building from the southwest corner.[/caption] The UW System Board of Regents approved the design and construction of UWL’s new Science Labs Building during its board meeting Thursday, July 9, in Madison. Next the design report will be submitted for review and approval by the State Building Commission for its meeting Wednesday, Aug. 12, at State Fair Park. A new science facility will address a lack of space and severely deteriorating infrastructure in Cowley Hall, the existing physical and life sciences facility. When the facility was built in 1963, and added on to in 1968, fewer science programs were offered at UWL. The new, approximately 188,000-square-foot-building will be constructed on the parking lot north of the existing Cowley Hall, commuter lot 3. The loss of parking spaces will be made up through the addition underway on the campus parking ramp. The four-story science labs building will include 35 new instructional and research laboratories for biology, chemistry, geography and earth science, physics, microbiology, river studies, and the radiation center. It will also include a shared administrative and building support spaces. Construction on the $82 million project, funded by state tax dollars, is scheduled to begin in spring 2016 and be completed in winter 2018. The project is designed to be sustainable and energy-efficient to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver standard equivalency. UWL aims to apply for this LEED certification in the future. UWL has two other buildings— Centennial Hall and Eagle Hall — that both received LEED Gold certification after they opened. After construction of the new science facility, Cowley Hall will continue to accommodate classroom space needs in the sciences. A proposal to demolish and replace the Cowley Science building will be submitted for funding in a future biennium.

Permalink

Share your news suggestions

Submit your news suggestions using UWL Share by no later than noon on Wednesdays preceding the next Monday's edition.

For more information, contact University Marketing & Communications at 608.785.8487.