Argonne Beginning Construction on $95M Energy Sciences Building

Despite the heat, dozens of people descended on Argonne National Laboratory’s campus this morning to celebrate the groundbreaking for a new Energy Sciences Building on the campus.

“This is a great day at Argonne,” said Argonne Director Eric Isaacs.

Speakers during the ceremony included U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, and University of Chicago President Robert Zimmer.

The $95 million Energy Sciences Building, scheduled for completion in 2013, will house about 200 research personnel dedicated to addressing the world’s most critical energy challenges, officials said.

Research efforts to be conducted in the new facility include the development of highly reliable, safe and long-lived battery systems; revolutionary, efficient and environmentally friendly chemical transformation processes for creating novel feedstocks and fuels; and transformational systems for solar energy production.

“This new building will allow us to attract some of the brightest and best early career scientists,” Isaacs said.

The facility will also be LEED certified, meaning it will comply with internationally recognized green-building standards.

Durbin said he is “proud of the caliber of work that goes on” at Argonne.

“It’s more than an asset to Illinois,” he said. “And this building will be more than just a building. It will ensure researchers at Argonne continue to make remarkable discoveries.”

Durbin added it is essential that America continues to invest in scientific research, making a jab at the House of Representatives  for voting in February to approve a spending bill that would have sources for the Darien-area energy lab.

“You can count on me to stand with Argonne,” he said.

Zimmer, who serves as chair of the board of governors for Argonne and the chair of the board of directors for Fermilab, lauded Durbin’s commitment to the lab.

“Senator Durbin has been truly extraordinary,” he said. “His understanding and commitment to the importance of science for energy security for the United States has been exemplary.”

Zimmer added that the University of Chicago has been involved with Argonne since the laboratory’s inception.

“We hope to be able to continue to contribute to the strength of the lab for many years to come,” he said.

Chu ended the ceremony by saying the new building will keep Argonne at the forefront of research development.

“I envision a future where research and products are invented in America, made in America and sold worldwide,” he said.