University of Massachusetts Amherst Builds Sustainable Engineering Laboratories

The University of Massachusetts Amherst is constructing the Sustainable Engineering Laboratories, a national hub for clean energy innovation. Featuring flexible, multimodal learning venues, the $125 million facility was designed by Payette to provide technology-rich environments for immersive teaching and research programs. The vibrant structure will house the Energy Transition Institute, the Wind Energy Center, the UMass Transportation Center, and labs for autonomous vehicle technologies, energy storage, and ocean energy systems. With numerous student project spaces and demonstration areas, the 78,000-gsf building will include a regional energy operations center, a smart microgrid for renewable energy integration, and test beds for energy generation, distribution, usage, and storage.

Promoting collaboration with industry partners, the project will address a critical need for skilled workers by equipping the engineers of the future with the core competencies required to design, install, and maintain sustainable energy systems. The net-zero carbon development will connect to a planned geothermal network and is expected to achieve LEED Platinum certification. Suffolk Construction Company is the general contractor with PMA Consultants acting as owner's project manager. Completion is expected in August of 2026.