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The facility will advance a number of the energy research priorities within President Bush’s Advanced Energy Initiative.
“The beautiful and functional building will give the scientists and engineers at the NREL and their industry partners first-class space and equipment allowing them to more quickly move clean, affordable, domestic energy technologies to the market and into the hands of all Americans,” U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said.
The 71,000-square-foot building provides laboratory space and expands research capabilities necessary to accomplish the DOE’s goals in solar, buildings, solid-state lighting, photovoltaics, thin-film coatings and devices, hydrogen and nanotechnologies.
It is also a model for energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. It is designed to be NREL’s first Gold-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified building, incorporating features that are expected to reduce energy use by 41 percent. Extensive use of daylighting reduces energy needs for electric lighting, and advanced heating, ventilation and cool systems reduce energy consumption by half.
