Building 1 Renovation, Boulder, Colo.

When President Eisenhower dedicated the NIST facilities in Colorado in 1954, few imagined that half a century later scientists would be manipulating matter atom-by-atom. Such technological advances require increasingly complex and difficult measurements. As the structures shrink in size, however, even slight fluctuations in temperature, humidity, air quality, and vibration can distort results and hamper productivity.

Conditions in Building 1, home to the majority of NIST Boulder research and services, have deteriorated to the point that they impede NIST's ability to provide the measurement science fundamental to advances in alternative energy, advanced manufacturing, information technology, health care, nanotechnology, and other national priorities. Power interruptions, roof leaks, vibrations, temperature swings, poor air quality, and other instances of substandard environmental control cause a 10 percent loss in productivity.

Construction of the Precision Measurement Laboratory, an extension to Building 1 (B1E) scheduled to be completed in FY 2011, will address the needs of about one-fourth of the NIST-Boulder programs that require stringent control of temperature, vibration, humidity, and air cleanliness to accomplish research objectives. The extension will also provide cost-effective opportunities to systematically renovate other aging laboratory facilities at the NIST Boulder site by serving as swing-space for labs that will temporarily be moved from Building 1.

Planned renovations will significantly improve productivity and enable new measurements and research to respond to emerging industry needs. Green technologies will be emphasized, saving energy, water, and construction materials.

The FY 2010 initiative enables the planning, design, and initial construction of phased renovations for Building 3 and Wings 3, 5, 6, and Center Spine of Building 1.

Expansion and improvement of the NIST Boulder facilities will enable NIST to support scientific discovery and development of transformational technologies in homeland security, telecommunications, nanotechnology, precision timing, hydrogen energy sources, precision electrical standards, biotechnology, applications of lasers, electromagnetic interference testing, quantum computing and communications, and other high-technology areas critical to future competitiveness. 

Building 1 Renovation: Out-year Funding Estimates
(Budget Authority in Millions of Dollars)*