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NREL to National Laboratory of the Rockies: What a Name Change Means for Lab Facilities
The Department of Energy has renamed NREL the National Laboratory of the Rockies, a change that involves a range of administrative, signage, and facility considerations
Crime Lab Groundbreaking Brings Modern Forensics Closer to Southern Minnesota
The new regional headquarters and crime lab for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension will expand forensic capacity, relieve overburdened facilities, and provide modern, flexible, and sustainable infrastructure that improves evidence processing, collaboration, and public safety across southern Minnesota
Rhode Island Unveils Modern Laboratory to Advance Public Health and Safety
Rhode Island’s new State Health Laboratory in Providence replaces an outdated facility with a modern, flexible, and sustainable space that enhances public health capabilities, supports collaboration with academic and industry partners, and positions the state to respond to emerging threats with advanced technologies like genomic sequencing
NASA’s Goddard Lab Closures Heighten Uncertainty Over Future of Federal Research Facilities
The accelerated closures and consolidations at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center have sparked major concerns, with questions mounting about the future of shuttered labs, specialized equipment, and mission-critical infrastructure and how—or if—they will be repurposed, relocated, or preserved
KC Water Expands Laboratory for the Next Generation of Testing
The KC Water laboratory, which has served as Kansas City’s hub for water quality testing for over 30 years, is undergoing a phased expansion and renovation to increase testing capacity, improve safety and workflows, integrate staff-driven design, ensure uninterrupted operations, and incorporate sustainable, future-ready infrastructure that positions the facility to meet evolving regulatory and technological demands
Advancing Efficiency in Laboratory Design: Actionable Insights from NREL
In the closing session of the 2025 Lab Design Conference, experts from NREL highlighted how the Smart Labs framework offers a practical path to significantly reduce laboratory energy use—without sacrificing safety—through data-driven ventilation strategies, stakeholder collaboration, and continuous operational improvement
USDA Announces Closure of Key Agricultural Research Center; Future Plans Remain Unclear
The USDA’s plan to close the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Maryland has raised concerns among lawmakers, researchers, and farm groups, who warn that shuttering the facility could disrupt critical agricultural research and leaves the future of its laboratories, equipment, and infrastructure uncertain
What Crime Labs Need Now—and Tomorrow: Insights from Arkansas’ New Facility
The design and construction of the new Arkansas State Crime Laboratory highlight the importance of early user engagement, flexible infrastructure, and careful planning to meet evolving forensic science needs and operational workflows
Proposed NOAA Lab Closures Raise Critical Questions about Research Facilities
The proposed NOAA budget would shut down key physical research laboratories across the country, leaving the future of their specialized buildings, equipment, and ongoing infrastructure upgrades uncertain