University of South Carolina, Aiken, South Carolina
The Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative (AMC) Lab Facility is a state-of-the-art research and development laboratory building sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that will support collaboration between the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), University of South Carolina Aiken, Private Industry Partners, Academia, and Government Agencies at the Local, State and Federal Level. This facility will promote an exchange of knowledge and innovation to further the goal of future research and development in support of the DOE mission.
North Wind Construction Services is the prime construction contract holder on this project. LBYD Federal, Designer of Record, led the design charrette with teaming partners STOA and Page Architecture. The AMC lab design will ensure the creation of an iconic building with high visibility to the public that serves as a “Campus Gateway” and a state-of-the-art facility for evaluating and translating advanced manufacturing technologies. The building will utilize the site constraints to allow for optimal collaboration between the entities involved; provide faculty and students, and other potential users spaces to meet; provide maximize flexibility within the lab spaces to support changing research focus and grant-supported initiatives over time; provide an energy-efficient, expandable, low-maintenance building; fully integrate technology and support flexibility of use over time; combine open and closed labs with office space; encourage visualization and demonstration spaces; embrace sustainable design principles and construction practices; and meet established laboratory sustainability design standards. Design discussions reflect an overall gross building area of approximately 58,600 SF.
The Laboratory types include Bench Labs, High Bay Labs, Computational Labs, and Industrial Engineering Labs. The labs will be oriented with an 11′ module and positioned back-to-back, where possible, to encourage inter action and flexibility between spaces and accommodate the growth/reduction of lab sizes over time. To facilitate the design process, our Team presented “Design Inspiration” images for various Collaboration spaces identified to be included in the AMC building. The images were intended to challenge the notion of how these types of spaces are commonly interpreted and, through open discussions about the images, allow the design team to better understand the functional, operational, and spatial needs of the clients for the space.
The offices will be bright and airy spaces that maximize natural daylighting in a modern hi-tech work environment. The spaces will accommodate various types of workspaces including open office areas, formal and informal spaces to facilitate meetings and collaboration between agencies, a large multi-purpose classroom space, and formal meeting areas which will include large, medium, and small conference rooms. Informal meeting areas strategically positioned within the public domain of the building will encourage small group gatherings and knowledge sharing in an open environment. The inclusion of a versatile collaboration stair offers varied seating, gathering, and discussion arrangements to facilitate impromptu meeting opportunities.
The interior finishes will be selected to support the design goals and enhance the building architecture. Practical, low-maintenance, and enduring materials will be chosen that create an inviting, comfortable, and modern work environment. Careful attention will be given to the design details and selection of materials to support integrated technologies and capture the state of-the-art research and development performed within. The project will be designed and constructed to achieve Gold certification using USGBC LEED Building Design and Construction rating system for New Construction/Major. Est. Construction.
November 20, 2023 UPDATE
Crews recently placed the last piece of structural steel, ahead of schedule.
MARCH 7, 2024 UPDATE
To view a video and additional updates, click here to view the News Update.
APRIL23, 2024 UPDATE
Construction is making headway at the 60,000-square-foot AMC. With recent progress at the site, the project is now approximately 60% complete and tracking on schedule. For more photos and information, click here to view the News Update.
JULY 23, 2024 UPDATE
Construction presses on at the AMC. To mark a recent significant milestone, North Wind Construction Services held a Safety Award lunch and ceremony at the AMC project on June 27th. The luncheon celebrated the project meeting 77% completeness with over 155,000 man-hours worked without incident by the North Wind Construction Services Team and their subcontractors. Click here, to view the News Update on reaching 77% complete.
FEBRUARY 26, 2025 UPDATE
The AMC Facility is nearing completion.
With final construction activities underway, the AMC Facility is quickly becoming a hub for innovation in nuclear chemical manufacturing technology, environmental management, and collaborative research. North Wind is looking forward to celebrating full completion shortly and is excited about the opportunities this facility will bring to the DOE, Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), and academic and commercial partners alike.
With its accessible location outside the secure perimeter of the Savannah River Site, the AMC enables new collaboration opportunities with national labs, academic institutions, and private industry. It is also a hub for workforce development and STEM education initiatives. The building was designed to meet or exceed LEED Silver Certification standards with flexible, energy-efficient spaces built to support long-term innovation.
In recognition of the project team’s exceptional efforts, the AMC project received multiple “Exceptional” Contractor Performance Assessment ratings —affirming the outstanding quality, execution, and delivery provided by North Wind Construction Services.
“This project represents the best of what we do at North Wind—collaborating across teams to deliver high-quality, mission-critical infrastructure for our federal partners,” said Operations Manager, Jim Hoven. “We’re proud of the work we accomplished thus far and excited to see how the AMC will drive innovation in the years ahead.”
