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National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Fire Research Laboratory, addition, Gaithersburg, Md. Design: NIST/Colimore Thoemke
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National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Fire Research Laboratory, addition, Gaithersburg, Md.
Budget: $25.5 million.
Size: 21,400 square feet
Project team: Colimore Thoemke Associates, Baltimore (architect); Grimberg/Amatea Joint Venture, Leesburg, Va. (contractor).
Completion date: 2012.
Description: The NFRL is using federal recession stimulus funding to expand its Large Fire Laboratory (Building 205) and installing a new environmental control system (ECS) to accommodate fires up to 20 MW heat release rate. The new lab space will accommodate 26-ft-high structural systems or components. Gravity loading will be applied using hydraulic actuators or fixed loads. Full-scale building fires, fueled by gas or liquid fuel, wood cribs, or actual building contents, will be simulated. A large hood over the test area will capture smoke and hot gases, providing important research data. Two 20-ton bridge cranes will facilitate setups. The new facility will be led, managed and operated as a collaborative lab through a public-private partnership between NIST and industry, academia, and other government agencies.
Contact: Jiann Yang, NIST, jiann.yang@nist.gov.
