SHW Group completes design of new research facility at Kettering University

New Science and Technology Incubator will be first building at Kettering University’s Technology Park and the first LEED certified building in Flint, Michigan

SHW Group LogoFLINT, Michigan, December 10, 2008 – SHW Group’s Detroit studio has completed the design for the new Science and Technology Incubator at Kettering University, in Flint, Mich. The incubator is the first building in Kettering University’s Technology Park and will be the first seeking LEED certification in Flint, according to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The facility will be a stand-alone building used as an incubator for start-up research and corporate office space for science and technology companies.

“The mission of Kettering’s new Science and Technology Incubator is to provide resources and opportunities to encourage and grow high-tech entrepreneurship as a core strategy for the economic development in mid-Michigan,” said Kettering University President Stan Liberty.

“This mission also supports the University’s direction for the development of an entrepreneurial culture through not only educational programs but also faculty and student spin-off commercialization opportunities,” Liberty added.

Slated for completion in 2009, the 9,000-square-foot, stand-alone structure will be located on Bluff Street overlooking the Flint River and is orientated to anchor the future park as it looks back to the main Kettering campus, just east of the corner of Chevrolet Avenue and Bluff Street.

As Kettering Technology Park’s first building, the project sets the direction for infrastructure, building materials, planning flexibility, and tenant adaptability for future facilities. It also establishes a benchmark for LEED certified construction in Flint. LEED Certification is the nationally accepted standard for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings.

It promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.

SHW Group designed the facility to be divided into public and private functional space, each supporting scientific and technologically-based ‘start up’ companies that need dedicated laboratory space during their first three to four years of business.

Amenities in the public space include a business center, furnished executive and administrative offices, a conference room with high-tech audio/video systems, a café vending and seating area, and a reception area. The private space will be home to six state-of-the-art wet and dry research laboratories. Each lab will be approximately 700 square feet and designed for easy division and addition.

Kettering’s Technology Park is home to Michigan’s Region 6 Small Business and Technology Development CenterTM, a program funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration to enhance Michigan’s economic well-being by providing counseling, training, research and advocacy for new ventures, existing small businesses and innovative technology companies.

About SHW Group

SHW Group is one of the world’s largest educational architecture and design firms, as ranked in the BD World Architecture’s 2008 The Big List. More than just an architecture firm, the company is known for its comprehensive collaboration with educators, cognitive researchers and strategic planners to design innovative facilities that support the learning process. Founded in 1945, SHW Group has grown to over 400 employees and seven studios nationwide. For more information, please visit www.shwgroup.com.

# # # Media Contact: Claire Bloxom claire@coopersmithagency.com, (214) 329-9191