Since 2010, Bayer has invested nearly $150 million in their Research Triangle Park campus, which now houses both their North American Headquarters as well as their Global Seeds Headquarters. This investment represents meaningful impact for the Research Triangle Park in terms of job creation and economic success as well as the world at large, as Bayer develops technologies to meet the world’s growing demand for food.
In an effort to expand its research into seed technology and breeding, which had occurred mainly in Ghent, Belgium, Bayer approached Clark Nexsen to design and construct Greenhouse 5. The main objectives of Greenhouse 5 were to support sustainability and productivity efforts on soy, corn, and other broadacre crop research.
With the constrained footprint of the site, Bayer and Clark Nexsen elected to take a different approach to the design. The design solution vertically stacked the building on three floors, with a unique workflow with vertical circulation between research spaces. The facility was designed to foster ag innovation with flexibility to adapt to future research environments. These innovative solutions have now been implemented at Bayer facilities around the world and include:
- Temperature and humidity control
- Greenhouse structure and glazing materials
- Rainwater harvesting for irrigation and fertigation systems
- Above and below bench air distribution
- Supplemental growth lighting and plant growth chambers
- Containment and security of research activities
Bayer’s investment in RTP has contributed to their success as a global leader in agricultural technology. We are proud to have partnered with Bayer to design and build transformative facilities that enable their researchers to discover solutions to the world’s growing food demand.