|
NextEnergy National Biofuels Energy Laboratory
In 2005, Kahn was commissioned to provide professional services relating to the laboratory wing of the NextEnergy Center in Detroit, Michigan. This project began with the sub-division of a 20,000 square foot shell into eight distinct laboratories. The National Biofuels Energy Laboratory (NBEL) – a 2,250 square foot multi-use hub focused on biofuels production and end-use technologies and operated by Wayne State University professors and students – was the first of the laboratories to be completed, commencing operations in December 2006. Kahn coordinated the requirements of both NextEnergy and Wayne State University into the design of the NBEL – where flexibility is crucial to optimizing functionality – and incorporated more than 60 linear feet of movable, reconfigurable lab benches into a fully-equipped wet lab that also features two walk-in and two bench-top fume hoods, office space for as many as six technicians, a pilot plant for biodiesel production, and a vehicle preparation and analysis area. more...
Kahn has also been involved in the development of a number of the other NextEnergy Center laboratories. In one case Kahn handled the structural design and engineering issues involved in the construction of a storage mezzanine. In another it provided consultation on the build-out requirements of a lab designed to research and develop a mobile military device that converts a forward deployed battalion’s waste into electrical power – turning an unwanted effluent stream into a valuable fuel source making these units more energy self-sufficient.
Highlighted NextEnergy projects:
|
