Lexington, KY - The University of Kentucky's College of Engineering held its dedication for the first building on campus to achieve an LEED Gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council, The Davis Marksbury Building.
The building, which will house researchers specializing in computer science, electrical and computer engineering along with the Center for Visualization and Virtual Environments, is the second of four structures planned for the college of engineering's "Digital Village" near the corner of Maxwell and Rose streets. Its design includes energy-saving features such as glass walls to let in natural light, solar panels, and water-saving fixtures.
"(It's a place) where great things will happen, and a few profound things will happen that will touch people all over the world," said Davis Marksbury, the UK computer engineering alumnus (1980) who, along with his wife, Beverly, donated the majority of the funds for the building. UK College of Engineering alumni James McDonald and James Hardymon were also major contributors on the project.
UK President Eli Capilouto called the Davis Marksbury Building "another jewel in the crown of UK," noting that it is the first building to be built with collaborative funds from the Research Trust Fund that matches donors' gifts. Capilouto predicted that more and more buildings would be funded this way in the future.
Marksbury emphasized the collaborative nature of the project and reminded the audience that at the groundbreaking for the building about a year and a half ago, he had predicted that more technology will be invented in the next 10 years than in all previous history. As evidence for his prediction, Marksbury noted that more than 400,000 patents have been issued since groundbreaking.
"There were no iPads when we had the groundbreaking, and now it's an industry by itself," he said.
"A day like this gives us hope," said Lexington Mayor Jim Gray, who emphasized the beneficial relationship between universities and cities. "This university is our shining city on the hill. It gives us potential."
UK's emphasis on the benefits of developing technology from academic research began with the presidency of its immediate past leader, Dr. Lee Todd.
"We have to teach people how to dream, to bring a realization of opportunities to students that we didn't have," said Todd. He described the new building as "a magnificent opportunity we have to change this university and the state."
Todd predicted that with the new building "you'll see more interdisciplinary research -fine arts, medicine, arts and sciences collaborations (with engineering)."
The ambience of the Marksbury Building has the semblance of a glimpse into "geek heaven," characterized by lasers, large electronic wall screens, flashing colors and computer-generated images. The building has no traditional classrooms.
Projects range from reducing the stress of surgeons performing laparoscopic surgery with its inherent visual limitations and an improved security identification system utilizing the iris of a person's eye to high-speed imaging for accurate representation of vocal chord movement, and specialized scanning of rare texts such as the Wycliffe Bible.
While research continues in the building that bears his name, Marksbury himself spends much of his time now looking for venture capital opportunities with new technology companies.
"We're looking for disruptive technology," he said, "what will disrupt the market, but not so quick that it self-disrupts (doesn't last)."