St. Louis-based McCarthy Building Cos. broke ground on a $150 million Colorado State University structure for the research of fusion energy as a means of generating clean power, the contractor announced on Nov. 1.
Once completed, the 71,000-square-foot Advanced Technology Lasers for Applications and Science Facility will focus on creating fusion energy as a viable clean energy source, and will have the flexibility house the study of a range of topics related to matter interactions, per the release. The structure will be located at CSU’s Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, Colorado.
The building will contain over 7,500 cubic yards of concrete with 5-foot-thick shielding walls around the target bay, and a 3-foot-thick slab below the laser and target bays for vibration isolation, according to McCarthy. The lab spaces will feature clean rooms up to ISO 6 / Class 1,000, and the HVAC systems will maintain extreme tolerances to keep the laser systems functioning properly in temperature and humidity-controlled environments.
CSU and fusion energy company Marvel Fusion will work together as part of a public-private partnership to complete the build. Alongside McCarthy, which will act as the general contractor on the build, the P3 chose Rochester, New York-based SWBR as the architect.
Beyond fusion and basic science research, the ATLAS Facility will also support interdisciplinary work into topics like medicine where lasers could be used to treat tumors. Other potential research includes microchip lithography and design, alongside detailed x-ray imaging of rapidly moving objects, such as airplane engine turbines, in full motion.
“This project represents a major milestone for the university and the broader scientific community, and we are excited to be part of this visionary effort,” said Joe Brunsman, senior vice president of McCarthy Building Cos. Colorado, in the release.
McCarthy expects the project to be completed in mid-2026.
