Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Human and Agricultural Biosciences Building 1

The Human and Agricultural Biosciences Building 1 (HABB1) is the first building to be built within the new Biosciences Precinct at Virginia Tech. HABB1 houses approximately 101,500 gross square feet of research facilities for the departments of Biological Systems Engineering and Food Sciences Technology. It's LEED Gold certified.

Office, administrative, laboratory and support facilities are focused on a wide range of microbiological and biochemical research including food safety, sensory/flavor testing, food packaging and processing, environmental quality analysis and bio-fuel cells. The building includes:

• Flexible high-bay pilot plant research facilities for use in the development of scale-up operations and process/packaging engineering systems
• Open plan laboratories
• Researcher’s offices, administrative areas and assigned graduate spaces
• Graduate work areas offer quick respite from the labs and provide distant mountain views
• Ceremonial stairs, open seating areas and a series of overlooks connect the public areas, encouraging chance meetings and informal collaboration

The HABB1 Building site is on the western edge of campus, affording views of the surrounding agricultural greenbelt, with mountain vistas to the west and a mature greenway to the east. The Research Walk, a pedestrian promenade that links the Science Precinct to the core of campus, is extended along the Northern edge of the HABB1 site. The simple massing of the exterior is articulated by vertical entry elements on the north and south and large deep-set bay windows on the east and west. The predominant building material is the campus’ signature Hokie stone, detailed with precast banding and trim.