For the first time in a decade, the growth rate of science and engineering (S&E) research space at US academic institutions has reversed its decline. The amount of S&E research space grew 4.4% from fiscal year (FY) 2007 to FY 2009 to comprise 196.1 million net assignable square feet (NASF), according to the NSF’s latest “Survey of Science and Engineering Facilities.” The survey, which is conducted every two years, collected data between October 2009 and April 2010 from 495 US colleges and universities that spent at least $1 million on S&E R&D in FY08. The increase comes after the previous two surveys showed slower growth. Academic research space grew 11.4% between FY01 and FY03, but had been slowing ever since, growing 7.2% between FY03 and FY05, and increasing only 1.5% between FY05 and FY07.

The NSF defines research space as “the [NASF] of space in buildings within which research activities take place.” Research space for S&E grew at all types of academic institutions between FY07 and FY09. At nondoctorate-granting institutions, research space jumped 10.7% to 8.3 million NASF from FY07 to FY09. Growth at doctorate-granting institutions increased 4.1% to 187.8 million NASF. From FY07 to FY09, research space at private and public institutions increased by 5.3% and 4.1% to 50.1 million NASF and 146.0 million NASF, respectively. Although 23% of academic research space was located in medical schools in FY09, growth of such space slowed considerably, increasing just 1.1% between FY07 and FY09 compared with growth of 9.0% between FY05 and FY07.

The graph shows that biological and biomedical sciences is the fastest-growing field for academic research space. In FY09, the NASF devoted to this field jumped 12.3% from FY07 to account for 25% of total academic research space. The NASF for agricultural and natural resources research space also rose, increasing 5.7% for the same period to comprise 15% of total academic research space. In contrast, the NASF for health and clinical sciences research space fell 1.9% to account for 18% of research space. Physical sciences NASF declined 0.7% to make up 14%, as a 1.0% increase in astronomy, chemistry and physics research space to 20.5 million NASF was offset by a 4.8% decline in earth, atmospheric and ocean sciences research space to 8.0 million NASF.

In FY09, 171 institutions began construction of almost 10 million NASF of academic research space, a 12.5% increase over new construction started in FY07, but a whopping 39% less than new construction started in FY03. Furthermore, the construction that actually commenced in FY09 differed from what was planned; 166 institutions planned to construct 14.3 million NASF of research space, but for only 69% of that space was construction started. In FY11, the smallest number of institutions in a decade, 136, planned for new construction of 10.3 million NASF.

Compared with the construction actually started in FY09, the NASF of academic research space that is planned for FY11 grew 4.0%. However, planned research space for the biological and biomedical sciences; astronomy, chemistry and physics; and research animal space declined 2.9%, 22.0% and 25.0% to 3.4 million NASF, 700,000 NASF and 600,000 NASF, respectively. Thirty-four, 28 and 16 institutions plan to start construction in FY11 of research space for health and clinical sciences; agricultural and natural resource sciences; and earth, atmospheric and ocean sciences research, respectively. Sixty-four, 32 and 45 institutions plan to start construction in FY11 of research space for biological and biomedical sciences; astronomy, chemistry and physics; and research animal space, respectively.

The total cost for repair and renovation of academic research space planned for FY11 is expected to be $3,606.1 million, 19.6% more than what was spent on such projects initiated in FY09. Biological and biomedical science research space accounted for 35% of such costs in FY09. Health and clinical sciences research space accounted for 23%.

Funding for the construction of academic S&E research space grew 25.0% from FY07 to FY09 to $7,406.8 million. In FY09, the federal government, state/local government, and institutional and other sources accounted for 3%, 36% and 60% of funding, respectively.

 Column Graph: 

 Science and Engineering Research Space in Academic Institutions (Net Assignable Square Feet)

    

      Agricultural & Natural  Biological & Biomedical    Health & Clinical          Physical Sciences

      Resources Sciences      Sciences                   Sciences

 FY07 27900000                44800000                   37000000                   28700000

 FY09 29500000                50300000                   36300000                   28500000

 Column Graph: 

 New Construction of Science and Engineering Research Space in Academic Institutions (Net Assignable Square Feet)    

                                Agricultural & Natural  Biological & Biomedical  Health & Clinical  Physical Sciences

                                Resources Sciences      Sciences                 Sciences

 Started in FY08–FY09          400,000.0                3,500,000.0              1,900,000.0        1,000,000.0

 Planned to Start in FY10–FY11 600,000.0                3,400,000.0              2,400,000.0        1,000,000.0