Construction Update
The Research Support Facilities are beginning to take shape on the Laboratory's South Table Mountain campus. Credit: Nicki Johnson
NREL's South Table Mountain campus will be busy with construction activity for the foreseeable future. This page has been created to keep you informed about our expansion, including construction activity updates, information on new facilities and where to find additional information. Updates will be provided weekly and also are available by calling the NREL Construction Hotline at 303-275-4087.
Updated: August 10, 2009
Construction for the new Research Support Facilities is progressing. Structural steel erection has been proceeding for the past month. The structural steel being used is recycled natural gas piping. To learn more about the recycled steel, visit the NREL Newsroom.
Radiant piping is also being installed in the building. When complete, approximately 42 miles of piping will run through all floors of the building, using water as the cooling and heating medium as opposed to forced air.
Construction of the Integrated Biorefinery Research Facility began May 18. Underground utility work is in progress, the drill rig for the shoring is on the site as well as the shoring materials. Rebar is being fabricated for the foundations and drilled piers.
For additional information, contact NREL's Public Relations Office at 303-275-4090.
Research Support Facilities
The 218,000 square-foot Research Support Facilities (RSF) are designed to be a model for sustainable, high-performance building design, and will provide DOE-owned work space for administrative staff who currently occupy leased space in the nearby Denver West Office Park. It will make substantial use of daylighting, dramatically reducing energy use and providing a pleasant and productive working environment. The RSF is planned to be designated to achieve a LEED® (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design) Platinum designation — the highest benchmark awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council. Construction on the RSF is expected to be completed in summer 2010.
Integrated Biorefinery Research Facility
The Integrated Biorefinery Research Facility (IBRF), to be built adjacent to the Process Development Unit in the Alternative Fuel Users Facility, will expand NREL's capabilities to develop new cellulosic ethanol technologies. The IBRF will allow the Laboratory to work simultaneously on multiple research projects with multiple research partners. Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2010.
Energy Systems Integration Facility
The 130,000-square-foot building, to be located southeast of the existing Science & Technology Facility, will house a variety of research that aims to overcome technical barriers to adding new renewable energy generation systems to the electrical grid. As planned, the Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) will be a multi-story building that will provide laboratory and office space for approximately 200-250 NREL researchers and support staff. Employees could possibly occupy the ESIF in late 2011.
Renewable Fuel Heating Plant
Construction on the Renewable Fuel Heating Plant (RFHP) is now complete. The boiler started November 20 and is expected to run continuously until spring 2009. The RFHP is located behind the Field Test Laboratory Building and will use wood waste and forest thinnings from Colorado's Front Range for fuel. The plant is expected to displace up to 80 percent of NREL's South Table Mountain natural gas use.
Mesa Top PV Project
The Mesa Top PV Project is a 5-acre field of solar panels built near the NREL Solar Radiation Research Laboratory on top of South Table Mesa. It will produce an estimated 750 kilowatt hours of clean, renewable electric power from solar energy that will be used to power NREL buildings. It was completed in December 2008.
