Argonne employees are invited for a series of exclusive sneak peeks of the Materials Design Laboratory (MDL), which opens on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019. When operational, the MDL will enhance Argonne’s leadership in science and technology by providing the facilities needed to make pivotal discoveries. There’s more to celebrate: Northgate Road (which has been closed since March 2017) and the parking lot east of the MDL will reopen on Nov. 13, too.
The MDL, also known as Building 242, encompasses roughly 124,000 square feet of laboratory and office space, including 10,000 square feet of lab space for radiological research. From designing tailored superconductors to transform the nation’s energy grid to developing better materials for wind turbines and finding potential replacements for silicon for next-generation computers, the MDL will allow scientists to discover new materials, understand how they work, and put them to use.
Sustainability was a defining feature in the design of the MDL and the facility is in line to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) “Gold” rating from the U.S. Green Buildings Council (USGBC).
- High-efficiency lighting
- Recycled materials
- Energy recovery systems
- Helium recovery systems
- Water use reduction
- Green power
- High-efficiency HVAC systems
- Construction waste management
- Regional materials
- Certified wood
MDL Employee Tours
Staff from Infrastructure Services will offer 30-minute guided tours of the MDL. Employees will have an opportunity to access areas of the building that they will not be able to experience once the lab is operating. Tour-takers should meet in the Ground Floor Lobby, accessible off Northgate Road.
Schedule:
- Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019
11:30 a.m.
Add to Your Calendar - Friday, Nov. 15, 2019
1:30 p.m.
Add to Your Calendar - Monday, Nov. 18, 2019
9:30 a.m.
Add to Your Calendar - Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019
12:30 p.m.
Add to Your Calendar
Details on an official opening ceremony will be announced shortly.