McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., a California construction firm, broke ground on the Solar Energy Research Center for the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the company announced.
The three-story, 40,000-sf facility will be devoted to researching and developing transportation fuels from sunlight using nano-scale photovoltaic and electrochemical solar energy systems.
The Solar Energy Research Center will be composed of renewable or recyclable materials, including a “green roof.” Its exterior skin will consist of aluminum composite metal panels, curtain wall, and architectural concrete.
The building will reduce water usage by 20 percent through water efficient landscaping and innovate wastewater technologies. It is expected to earn LEED Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
The $54 million project will be completed in late 2014. SmithGroupJJR serves as the architect.
For more information, visit www.mccarthy.com.
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