UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

The project is to construct, commission and occupy a new 35,978 gross square foot laboratory as an expansion to the present facilities of the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research. CAER, founded some thirty years ago, is one of a number of multidisciplinary research centers and institutes started at UK to provide a focal point for research directed toward important state industries, in this instance energy and related environmental impacts. It is a non-academic, non-degree awarding unit, and its primary mission is RESEARCH, with multidisciplinary competencies in fuel chemistry, catalysis, geo- and environmental chemistry, electrochemistry, biomass conversion, and carbon materials. The new laboratory facility will enable research related to biomass and biofuels, electrochemical energy storage, and distributed solar energy technologies. It will be a multi-science facility, and will accommodate wet and dry labs, and special process development, prototype manufacturing, and testing labs requiring production/manufacturing floor space. Portions of the laboratory facility will be specially equipped to accommodate capacitor and battery manufacturing R&D, including facilities for battery pack testing and development, and cell and module development, including cyclers, test chambers, thermal chambers, and device teardown area. The new research space will also host labs and testing areas for prototyping, characterization, evaluation and lifecycle testing of new photovoltaic/solar materials. Finally, the core of the first floor will house the analytical instrumentation for bioenergy and biofuels. CAER's primary mission, this project, and the research that will be enabled by this new laboratory facility are all highly consistent with NIST's objective to bring high-risk, high reward transformational technologies into use for addressing the critical national need for low cost, reliable and abundant energy to sustain the nation's economy. CAER's research also directly complements the NIST program priorities of Energy (nanoscale systems, energy storage, biofuels, photovoltaics), Environment and Climate Change (nanomaterials, carbon management), Manufacturing (nanofabrication, battery and capacitor manufacturing, solar device prototype and testing), and Physical Infrastructure (renewable feedstocks). Moreover, CAER's primary mission, this project, and the research that will be enabled by this new laboratory facility are all highly consistent with ARRA's objectives of job preservation and creation; of promoting economic recovery; of making investments needed to increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advancements; and investing in infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits. The CAER Expansion Project will create jobs and economic activity in the near-term that are associated with constructing the facility - and over the long-term that are associated with UK's research enterprise and the creation of new energy industries. Finally, upon award of the federal funding, the project is ready to proceed immediately. The university engaged an outstanding group of architectural and laboratory design consultants who produced the initial designs of an exceptionally high quality and functional research facility. The university has significant construction management experience, and a highly qualified team of construction management personnel to assure timely and effective project execution. The Commonwealth of Kentucky and university have together pledged 25 percent of Ihe financing necessary to construct the building; additional funding is anticipated for major research instrumentation and fit-up.

Clarification of Codes