The 68,830-sf facility at the university's physical sciences quad will serve as the new home for the UCI's Department of Earth System Science. The new research center houses laboratories, a conference center and office space for faculty and staff, post doctoral researchers, graduate students and visiting scientists. Philip Pipal, Carrier Johnson's project architect, notes that the design includes a three-story atrium and staircase in the building's lobby, which is intended to act as an informal meeting space and promote the interaction of researchers. One of many other design features is an oversized freight elevator that was incorporated to allow for the transportation of large equipment that will be used in the building.

A formal dedication of the new building is scheduled for October. The research center was named after former CEO of Santa Ana-based Behr Process Corp. who was a major donor for the new facility. Carrier Johnson was the Architect of Record and provided construction documents and construction administration services for Croul Hall; Esherick Homsey Dodge & Davis (EHDD) of San Francisco was the project's design architect and Irvine-based Hensel Phelps served as general contractor.