Done Deals: McCarthy Completes Construction of J. Craig Venter Institute’s Landmark Net-Zero-Energy Genomic Laboratory in La Jolla, CA

Thursday, February 20, 2014

McCarthy Completes Construction of J. Craig Venter Institute’s Landmark Net-Zero-Energy Genomic Laboratory in La Jolla, CA

J. Craig Venter Institute, 4120 Torrey Pines Road, on University of California, San Diego (UCSD) campus

SAN DIEGO, CA – Bringing to life what is sure to become one of San Diego’s most iconic buildings, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. has completed construction for the new J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), La Jolla, located on a 1.75-acre scenic site at 4120 Torrey Pines Road on the University of California, San Diego, (UCSD) campus.

J. Craig Venter

Designed by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects (ZGF), the three-story, 45,000-square-foot building is an apt tribute to its prominent, coastal location, with its long, slender shape.

Exposed architectural concrete panels, Spanish cedar wood siding, a wood-framed window curtain wall and storefront system, metal panels, and an expansive photovoltaic array give this building its signature identity.

The net-zero-energy facility represents the most ambitious sustainably designed biological research laboratory project ever to be built and is integral to JCVI’s quest to perform the science needed to solve critical environmental and human health challenges. The landmark building has been built to earn LEED Platinum Certification.

“Our new facility was built not only to advance genomic research, but to showcase how science can be compatible with the best of environmentally sustainable practices,” said JCVI Founder and CEO J. Craig Venter, Ph.D.

“Construction completion of this remarkable building signifies the fulfillment of a long-time dream to return to the UCSD campus where I began my research career, and collaborate with other scientists in the region to find solutions to our most pressing social issues.”