National Renewable Energy Laboratory

The Client

NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) advances critical science and technology through innovative research and development to improve the nation's electrical grid infrastructure, making it more flexible, reliable, resilient, secure, and sustainable.

The Business Challenge

When NREL began planning to build it’s new $57.4M dollar, “State Of The Art” Research Support Facility (RSF) in Golden, Colorado, they turned to Technology Plus (TPI) to help guide requirements development, planning and design & implementation oversight of key systems including; Voice & Data Systems, Advanced Security Systems and Audio-Visual technologies. The RSF is a cutting-edge design-build, 222,000 sg ft facility for 800 employees that is Energy Self-Sustaining.  A facility like this is certainly not run-of-the-mill and required careful considerations to ensure the building systems are complimentary to the unique design goals.

The Business Solution

With a project like this, getting involved early is the key to a successful outcome.  Nearly every aspect of this construction was different; from pre-cast insulated, pre-finished concrete panels to a massive labyrinth of thermal storing concrete structures in the crawlspace.  Similar to the construction challenges, TPI needed to ensure that today’s requirements were met but that the design would also support the advanced technologies the RSF will need in the future.

TPI worked in tandem with the GC and other contractors to ensure that the design was spot-on.  Change orders within projects like this can be extremely costly or even impossible.  The NREL RSF is a crown jewel of Energy efficiency.


Complex Technology Design

New Construction

  • Structured Cabling Design
  • Voice & Data Systems
  • In-Building Antenna System
  • Security Systems
  • Audio-Visual Systems
  • Multi-tenant design
    • NREL & DOE

Data Center Design

  • Estimate Power & Cooling
  • Specialized Data Center Security Systems
    • Advanced Access Control
    • Networked Video Surveillance system
  • Design “Hot/Cold” aisles to maximize recycling hot air
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