The new six-storey facility broke ground in May 2007. It has been designed by Bullock Smith and Partners and Lindsay and Maples Architects and spans over an area of 150,000 square feet. It features 19 research laboratories, 11 teaching labs, nine classrooms, a student lounge, and several offices.
The classrooms of the building have been equipped with built-in power pads to serve laptop computers with some of them comprising network plug-ins. The building further features a soaring atrium which is capped off with a skylight and open-air plaza, as well as large deck offering views of the surrounding city.
The building is built to LEED Silver specifications. It includes installation of several windows which optimise penetration of natural light inside, thereby reducing energy usage. Installation of occupancy sensor-controlled lighting fixtures in the classrooms add to the sustainability by reaping more energy cost cuts.
The project has received donations of $12.5 million from Dr. Min Kao who is a UT alumnus and the founder of Garmin Limited while $25 million has been contributed by the state.
