Los Alamos National Security, LLC has selected Pacific Equity Partners Los Alamos Science Complex LLC (PEP) to develop the Los Alamos Science Complex in response to a request for proposal issued earlier this year.
LANS received a total of five bids from potential offerors to design, finance, construct, lease, and operate the proposed Science Complex -- comprised of two buildings and an adjacent parking garage at Technical Area 62 northwest -- located about a half mile west of TA-3.
The Science Complex is expected to provide modern facilities for a wide range of science, technology, and engineering capabilities. Work conducted at the complex will be consistent with the National Nuclear Security Administration’s future vision of national security laboratories. Non-Defense Program work performed at the complex will help sustain both the existence and continued excellence of facilities and capabilities that Defense Programs could not sustain alone.
The multipurpose, multidisciplinary facilities comprising the Science Complex provide a unique and powerfully collaborative setting designed to be environmentally sophisticated and highly cost effective. The new state-of-the-art complex will facilitate removal of other obsolete and deteriorating Laboratory infrastructure, consistent with overarching goals and commitments established by the Laboratory to ensure operational excellence.
“The Laboratory is committed to providing world-class science,” said Terry Wallace, principal associate director for Science, Technology and Engineering (PADSTE). “In order to succeed in our commitment, we need world-class facilities. The Science Complex will help us meet that need by providing an excellent, highly collaborative setting for one-quarter to one-third of the Laboratory’s science and engineering workforce.”
The successful contractor, PEP, has stated that its approach to creating a successful Science Complex will be construction of a LEED Gold/Platinum-certified facility providing 50 percent energy and 50 percent water-saving capability over that of a conventionally designed building. PEP’s overall concept is to integrate high-technology solutions with regional and sustainable materials, thereby demonstrating how science embraces the natural surroundings at TA-62 northwest.
A relatively low horizontally designed facility will feel visually unobtrusive while providing large and accessible garden roofs to reduce heat islands, wide areas for solar collecting devices, rain run-off harvesting systems designed to capture all or most of the available moisture and, most importantly, efficient and flexible floor plates that are key for using highly adaptable modular partition and furniture systems.
“[The Laboratory’s] reputation as the proving ground for scientists and engineers looking for the toughest challenges facing our nation and the world will only be enhanced by the Science Complex, and I am extremely excited to begin working with PEP to accomplish this goal,” Wallace said.
“It is an honor and a privilege to be selected in a highly competitive process to build a world-class facility to advance science and technology for the United States of America,” said Enrique Landa, managing partner of PEP. “It is particularly gratifying to know we will work with the Los Alamos National Laboratory to set the standard for environmental leadership with our commitment to seek LEED Gold/Platinum certification to attract and retain the world’s premier scientists.”
Now that a developer has been selected, LANS will begin preparation of the final acquisition strategy plan for submission to NNSA. If all necessary approvals are secured, groundbreaking is projected to begin next year. Construction is scheduled for completion in 2010, and researches are expected to begin moving into the new facility in 2011.
“Los Alamos National Laboratory is a national security science laboratory, and therefore, the addition of the new Science Complex provides a key component of our strategic vision to be the nation’s premier, capabilities-based scientific institution,” Director Michael Anastasio said.
For more information, contact the Principal Associate Director for Science, Technology and Engineering office at 7-8597.
