The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has selected JE Dunn Construction and SmithGroup as the design-build team for a new laboratory facility that will accelerate market-ready products needed for a clean energy transition.
As the new face of NREL’s South Table Mountain Campus in Golden, Colo., the 127,000-sf Energy Materials and Processing at Scale (EMAPS) laboratory will create a direct path from lab-scale materials and process innovations to pilot-scale integration and production. The project is slated to break ground in late 2024.
The laboratory’s design will provide opportunities for engineers, scientists, industry partners, and other DOE laboratories to work together in shared lab facilities focused on clean energy innovations. This collaborative, multidisciplinary approach will accelerate the process scale-up and market adoption of advanced energy materials.
Energy storage, advanced manufacturing among clean energy initiatives
Specifically, EMAPS will enable materials and process innovations in energy storage, advanced manufacturing, grid modernization, and net-zero chemicals and fuels for transportation and industrial decarbonization.
In addition, the laboratory will address end-of-life and circularity challenges across multiple energy technology platforms with a focus on polymers, packaging, and waste streams during and after production.
With building design now underway, EMAP will provide modern, open, and flexible spaces that can accommodate rapid experimentation among researchers. Featuring a three-story collaborative lab and office tower, the center will facilitate flexibility and reconfigurability to serve different research insights and needs. Researchers will be able to move easily from workstation computers to testing in labs to manufacturing testing in pilot bays.
The design will align with NREL’s focus on sustainability, solar orientation and daylighting, energy efficiency, and site preservation. With its sustainable, high-performance design, EMAPS will aim for a minimum of LEED Gold certification.
A decade ago, JE Dunn and SmithGroup partnered with NREL to complete the Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF), a 180,000-sf research building adjacent to the future site of EMAPS.
On the Building Team:
Owner: U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
Design architect, architect of record, and MEP engineer: SmithGroup
Structural engineer: Martin/Martin
General contractor: JE Dunn Construction
Related Stories
| Aug 8, 2022
Mass timber and net zero design for higher education and lab buildings
When sourced from sustainably managed forests, the use of wood as a replacement for concrete and steel on larger scale construction projects has myriad economic and environmental benefits that have been thoroughly outlined in everything from academic journals to the pages of Newsweek.
Laboratories | Jul 17, 2022
Renovation is filling the need for life sciences lab space
Three experts from the firm DiMella Shaffer discuss the advantages and challenges of converting existing buildings.
Laboratories | Jun 29, 2022
The "collaboratory" brings digital innovation to the classroom
The Collaboratory—a mix of collaboration and laboratory—is a networking center being designed at the University of Denver’s College of Business.
Museums | Jun 28, 2022
The California Science Center breaks grounds on its Air and Space Center
The California Science Center—a hands-on science center in Los Angeles—recently broke ground on its Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.
University Buildings | Jun 7, 2022
Newfoundland university STEM building emulates natural elements, local traditions
Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) recently opened a new building that will provide interdisciplinary learning and research space for Faculties of Science and Engineering.
Laboratories | May 20, 2022
Brutalist former Berkeley Art Museum transformed into modern life science lab
After extensive renovation and an addition, the former Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive at the University of California, Berkeley campus reopened in May 2022 as a modern life science lab building.
Laboratories | Apr 29, 2022
Oracle Industry Lab in Chicago enables development of solutions for multiple industries
The Oracle Industry Lab in Chicago, which provides customers in multiple industries the opportunity to test new technologies, recently opened.
Laboratories | Apr 7, 2022
North Carolina's latest play for biotech real estate development
The Tar Heel State is among a growing number of markets rolling out the welcome mat for lab spaces.
Projects | Mar 11, 2022
Studying science in the sky
In sharp contrast to other types of commercial real estate, the life sciences market is booming, according to SGA, an architecture firm based in Boston and New York that has extensive experience designing life sciences buildings.
Laboratories | Feb 10, 2022
Historic building becomes a research science incubator
Svigals + Partners designed the project.
