McCarthy Building Cos. has delivered a major advancement in university construction at Arizona State University, completing the $185 million Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building 12 (ISTB 12) on the school’s Polytechnic campus in Mesa, Arizona. According to a Nov. 11 announcement, the newly opened, 173,194-square-foot facility welcomed students and researchers for the Fall 2025 semester, bringing new specialized lab and collaboration areas designed to support the next generation of applied science and engineering talent.
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The building is especially notable for its role as the first at ASU to integrate multi-layer prefabrication systems, marking a transition toward more industrialized construction practices on campus. McCarthy reports that ISTB 12 incorporates multi-trade corridor racks, prefabricated enclosure panels, and an embedded overhead uni-strut system, allowing teams to complete complex mechanical and electrical setups off-site before installation. These prefabricated components were key to accelerating construction, reducing jobsite congestion, and improving long-term system accessibility.
Project Director Carlos Diaz emphasized that innovation was a central theme not only in the facility’s mission but also in how it was delivered. “As the construction partner, we’re proud to deliver a facility that reflects innovation not only in its purpose but also in the way it was built for opening day and decades of adaptability,” Diaz said in the release.
Construction lasted 22 months, aided by McCarthy’s early procurement strategy — a necessity amid ongoing material and equipment delays impacting the sector. The firm said its approach ensured timely arrival of key supplies and allowed sequencing that prioritized critical electrical and mechanical equipment, reducing risk and maintaining schedule.
McCarthy collaborated closely with integrated design partner SmithGroup, aligning prefabrication workflows with structural and building systems from the earliest design phases. This integration allowed the team to coordinate building performance goals, lab requirements, and complex research infrastructure without major redesigns or onsite rework.
ISTB 12 will support cutting-edge programs central to regional and national manufacturing growth, including:
These focus areas mirror Arizona’s expanding semiconductor and clean-tech industries, positioning the Polytechnic campus as a training and research hub for high-demand technical fields and workforce pipelines.
The building also incorporates high-performance systems aligned with a LEED Gold sustainability target, including:
ISTB 12 adds to McCarthy’s growing list of higher education investments. Earlier this year, the firm started construction on a $94 million Student Services building at San Bernardino Valley College, underscoring the company’s focus on academic and research environments. That strategy is expected to continue as universities nationwide increasingly adopt prefabrication and performance-based building approaches.
Originally reported by Matthew Thibault in Construction Dive.
