emersion DESIGN was commissioned to transform a 1920’s aviation research and testing facility into a modern aircraft propulsion systems laboratory and test facility. The 17,000 sf Integrated Vehicle Energy Technology (INVENT) Systems Integration Facility renovation provides a modern laboratory for state-of-the-art research on integrated modeling, simulation, and demonstration of proprietary energy, power, and thermal management components. This research supports current and future aircraft applications.
The $12 million, single-story renovation included specialized spaces such as drive stand/cabinet rooms, high bay thermal and power laboratories, a model / simulation room, a control room, materials shop, electric fabrication shop, and data reduction room. The existing facility is secured with renovations that include physical security construction, a card access system, cipher locks, and CCTV system.
The design retained the historical nature of the building while constructing new laboratories and test facilities within the existing brick shell. Unique features of the project include: the disassembly, archiving, and storage of the 96-foot, and the oldest operating wood wind tunnel in the United States.