NREL Flatirons Control Center Facility

In partnership with HDR and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Mortenson delivered the Control Center Facility (CCF) - an advanced, 8,000-square-foot, two-story building designed to support the future of clean energy research, monitoring, and operations. Strategically located just north of the main road and east of the 5 MW Dynamometer building, the CCF will serve as the central hub for managing and analyzing integrated energy systems at NREL and beyond.

As part of the Flatirons Campus - home to the National Wind Technology Center and the Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES) platform - the CCF will enable real-time operational control of critical infrastructure. It will play a central role in supporting the Department of Energy’s Integrated Electrical Systems at Scale (IESS) initiative and will be interconnected with NREL’s Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) at the South Table Mountain Campus, as well as other national labs, universities, and international research institutions.

Designed with sustainability and flexibility in mind, the facility incorporates energy-efficient systems and infrastructure to support evolving renewable technologies. The electrical design also includes the capacity to support a future microgrid, enabling the building to potentially operate entirely on renewable energy generated on campus.

The CCF features a state-of-the-art control room, a modern data center, conference rooms, a 2-D visualization room, and critical support areas. Site enhancements include upgraded utilities, a new parking lot, driveways, sidewalks, landscaping, a detention pond, and an on-site wastewater treatment system. Mortenson has been contracted to install a permanent waterline to the Flatirons Campus, replacing the current reliance on trucked-in water and significantly improving sustainability.

Our approach emphasized safety, quality control, and close collaboration with NREL to meet the highest standards throughout construction. Backed by our experience in campus and research facility projects, we’re proud to deliver responsible, sustainable solutions.

The Flatirons Control Center will be a cornerstone of NREL’s mission - supporting innovation in clean energy systems for decades to come.