The Energy & Environmental Research Center's (EERC's) new facility is evidence of its tremendous growth in recent years. The EERC has added about 90 new employees in the past three years and projects rapid growth ahead. Contract awards just seven years ago were at $11.5 million and increased to about $27 million during the past fiscal year, which represents over half of all research dollars awarded to UND this past year. It is also an opportunity to showcase some of the breakthrough research that has contributed to that success.

"We have always had high-quality people here, and now we have high-quality space to match our people," says EERC Director Gerald Groenewold. "This facility is an avenue for the evolution of new spinoff companies and a model for economic development opportunities in our entire region-from Bemidji to Devils Lake and from Pembina to Wahpeton."

Ground was broken July 30, 2002, for the $8 million expansion and renovation project, which was completed in the summer of 2004.

Schoen and Associates did a masterful job of integrating the new design with the existing structure said EERC Associate Director of Marketing, Outreach, and Administrative Resources Deb Haley.

"The architects designed a facility with a strong corporate atmosphere which includes beautiful meeting spaces. This is exactly what our director envisioned," Haley said.

The $6 million expansion project added 47,000 square feet of space for a total of 216,000 square feet on the southeast corner of the UND campus. This new addition consists of a three-story building that accommodates about 90 additional staff and a one-level structure for meeting rooms for over 300 people. The construction project also includes a $2 million remodel of existing office facilities that were built in 1949, including mechanical systems, new lighting, and window replacement. All contractors were from the surrounding area.

John Hendrikson, EERC Associate Director, Business and Operations, said the recently completed renovation was a very extensive makeover. "Other than aesthetics, the most significant thing was the replacement of the heating and air conditioning system and windows. All the old ductwork was removed and replaced, so it's a more environmentally friendly building with much better temperature control," he said.

One of the most important challenges for our nation is gaining greater energy independence said University of North Dakota President Charles Kupchella.

"I'm delighted that we as a University-through the Energy & Environmental Research Center-are positioned to be a major player in achieving that goal. And we are contributing on both ends of that goal: finding and refining new and renewable sources of energy and doing it in such a way that is environmentally friendly. What we are celebrating is an expansion of these great efforts, which will continue to be necessary and to take on even more prominence in the future," said Kupchella.

The expansion project is funded in total by EERC revenues. The UND Alumni Foundation issued a series of bonds at two-and-a-half percent interest. The Foundation is leasing the building to the university, which is amortizing the new building and the renovation totally from EERC contract revenues. After the last bonds are retired in 25 years, the university will own the facility.

The EERC is recognized as one of the world's leading developers of cleaner, more efficient energy technologies. The EERC's nine Centers of Excellence are leading the world in development of advanced energy systems and the prevention and cleanup of air, water, and soil pollution. Each Center of Excellence has received national and/or international recognition as a leader in its respective topic area.

The EERC operates essentially as a high-tech business within UND, allowing great flexibility to quickly craft teams and provide timely technical answers to address critical worldwide energy and environmental issues. Since it became part of UND in 1983, the EERC has established working relationships with more than 788 clients from the public and private sectors in all 50 states and 47 countries around the world. Of the past year's 372 active contracts, 90 percent were with nonfederal entities.