E.W. Howell has been awarded general construction services for the Laboratory Office Buildings (LOBs) at Brookhaven National Lab (BNL). The LOB project is part of the National Synchrotron Light Source II construction, to be completed in 2015. E.W. Howell will construct three LOBs with various labs and offices. The project will provide 124,000 s/f of lab and office space for NSLS-II. Each LOB will feature a mix of wet labs, dry labs, fabrication/assembly shops, and tech spaces that have access to the NSLS-II experimental floor. The buildings were designed to attain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. Funding for this new construction comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The NSLS-II project received $150 million in ARRA funding, $34 million of which is designated for the LOB's contract. Occupancy of the first LOB is anticipated in 2012, with the balance of construction lasting through 2013. When complete the new buildings will enable discovery-class science, including science that will drive abundant, safe, and clean energy technologies. The unique characteristics of NSLS-II will help scientists explore the grand challenges they face in developing new materials with advanced properties. It will pave the way to discoveries in physics, chemistry, and biology — advances that will ultimately enhance national security and help drive the development of abundant, safe, and clean energy technologies. "This project is an important one for the Long Island economy and we are eager to continue our relationship with BNL", says the President of E.W. Howell, Howard Rowland. At the height of construction hundreds of local jobs will be created from the hiring of local vendors and subcontractors.