Construction begins on $7.6 million CAER research and education center
Center to feature fully configurable nuclear power plant control room simulator and wireless technology areas.
The Center for Advanced Engineering and Research (CAER), a non-profit organization within the Region 2000 Partnership, aims to strengthen the Region’s innovation economy through the work that will take place in its $7.6 million research and education center that will be focused on nuclear energy and wireless technologies.
More than 100 local business and government leaders came out to witness the ground breaking on Friday, Nov. 6 at the New London Business and Technology Center in eastern Bedford, Virginia, just off U.S. Rt. 460. The cost for the two-story center is funded through an economic development grant from the Virginia Tobacco Commission.
“The Tobacco Commission had the vision a couple of years ago for what R&D—and particularly energy R&D— could do for the state and this is a result of that vision,” Bob Bailey, CAER Executive Director told attendees.
The 25,000 square-foot facility will provide a central point for engineers, scientists, and educators to perform applied research, product development, commercialization, and professional training. The goal is that this work will not only benefit companies, but will also create entrepreneurship and job creation opportunities in high wage, high growth areas.
It is our position that the most economic growth in this new economy stems from knowledge creation and innovation,” Bob said. “There’s a strong correlation between per capita income indicators such as the number of high tech, high wage jobs in a region and the number of scientists, engineers, patents, and research grants.”
The facility will include a fully configurable nuclear power plant control room simulator; high-performance computing capability and supporting, connected visualization lab to support the development of three-dimensional simulation models of plant operations; six research labs plus one high bay lab, and provide space for up to eight faculty and 16 research assistants. It will focus work in four areas including: Center for Safe and Secure Nuclear Energy (CSSNE); Cognitive radio research; Inspection, testing and analysis technologies; and Sensors, controls and wireless technologies for energy production and transmission.
“The CAER will bring jobs to our region and will serve to make this an attractive home to industries that are committed to technological innovation,” said Del. Kathy Byron who played a large role in supporting the funding for the facility through her role on the Tobacco Commission Board. “It is projected that for every $1 million of research, 35 high paying jobs will be produced. By supporting the R&D needs of our businesses, we make the Lynchburg region the place for them to grow and flourish.”
Lynchburg-based C.L. Lewis & Co., Inc. is constructing the facility that is set to be complete by year-end 2010. Building design was completed by Wiley|Wilson. Other members of the design team were Hurt & Proffitt, a civil engineering and surveying firm, and Land Planning and Design Associates, Inc., on land planning and design.
View a three-minute Virtual Tour of the facility here.
Click here to view the ground breaking event.