Phytobiological Building, Warwick University, UK

Architect	BMJ
Date Built	2013
Location	University of Warwick Campus
Description
This £5m building nearing completion on the University of Warwick Campus (seen here in February 2013) is a state-of-the-art controlled environment and glasshouse facility for research into plant science and food security. The University says that, "The two-storey 1,200 sq m Phytobiology Facility, to be completed in 2013, will be used for research looking at vital areas such as resistance to pests and diseases, how plants cope with environmental stress and the mechanisms behind plant reproduction." Vice-Chancellor Professor Nigel Thrift says of the project that, “Food security is a research priority for the University as the world faces up to the challenge of feeding its growing population against a backdrop of diminishing resources and uncertainty around climate change. As a University we intend to rise to our part of that challenge and this £5 million investment sends a clear signal of how serious we are about this.” The design for this complex building has taken into consideration the need to control energy costs and CO2 emissions. The University's Estate Office says that the design, "... has significantly reduced its heating and cooling loads by 73% and 65% respectively when compared to a traditional glasshouse design."