Project profile: Research Support Facility

From its inception, the Department of Energy's (DOE) Research Support Facility (RSF) at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) was designed to be a world-changing building. With the goal of creating the largest commercial net-zero energy structure in the country, the building is meant to serve as a blueprint for a net-zero energy future and influence others in the building industry to pursue low energy and net-zero energy performance. This building is meant to further the DOE and NREL's long-term mission.

The RSF is a large-scale office building housing more than 800 people who support and conduct the important research work at this national laboratory. The building also houses a data center that serves the entire NREL campus. NREL and DOE's goal is to transform innovative research in renewable energy and energy efficiency into market-viable technologies and practices. This building serves as an example of these ideas and a living laboratory for the staff of the RSF to learn from and work by. The resulting project is one of the most energy-efficient buildings in the world, providing a high-performance workplace and aiming at operating at net-zero energy on an annual basis.
(2011 AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Projects recipient)