NYS Department of Transportation Central Testing Laboratory

Introducing the New York State Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Central Testing Laboratory. Located on the Harriman State Office Building Campus in Albany, New York, this state-of-the-art facility is set to revolutionize how DOT ensures the safety, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness of New York State's roads and bridges. 

The new laboratory is a game-changer for DOT and will enable them to perform over 100,000 tests annually with increased efficiency and effectiveness. The current laboratory is spread across two outdated buildings, hindering operations. With the growing demand for transportation infrastructure development, it is crucial to have a modern, centralized testing hub that supports innovation, sustainability and compliance with state and federal requirements. The new facility addresses these needs, providing fully electric, and energy-efficient building environment for DOT's experts to work together and drive progress.

Project Number: 47528: Provide Testing Laboratory, Building 14, Region 1 Albany 
Location: Harriman State Office Building Campus, Albany, NY 
Trades: PLA Project
Estimated Construction Cost: $150,000,000+
Plans and Specs Available: March 3, 2026
Bids to be Received: April 15, 2026

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The new 114,500-square-foot laboratory features a geothermal heating and cooling system, with wellfields extending 800 feet below surface, and a high-bay warehouse and garage. The optimized layout enables improved workflow and flexibility for future growth and changes. Some key features include:

• Advanced testing equipment for materials and traffic signal equipment
• State-of-the-art labs for materials science and traffic signal technologies
• Collaboration spaces for DOT teams and partners
• Robust data management and analytics capabilities

This project showcases DOT's commitment to reducing environmental impact, incorporating sustainable materials and systems that minimize reliance on fossil fuels. The facility is designed to meet or exceed New York State's sustainability standards, setting a new benchmark for green infrastructure. 

The project's prime design consultant was CHA Consulting Inc., with sub-consultants Envision Architects, DPC, LERA Consulting Structural Engineers, and Naik Consulting Group, PC (plumbing, traffic, vertical transportation). 

Building and Site Features

• Steel-framed building with ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) roofing on a concrete mat slab
• Service vehicle parking lot
• Geothermal well system comprised of a closed-loop system, with a network of wellfields that extend 800 feet below the surface, with future expansion possible
• Uses and reconstructs existing parking, over the new geothermal well field    
• A landscaped entry plaza, featuring benches and picnic tables with walkways connecting to the rest of the campus

Sustainability Features

• Executive Order 22 Compliant  
• Full Electric Power (exception of Emergency Generator)
• HVAC: With a cutting-edge geothermal solution, the building will have a sustainable system that will harness the natural temperature of the earth for reliable, efficient temperature control in the new building
• EV Chargers: The site will provide level two EV chargers for fleet vehicles and is designed with growth in mind

Main Laboratory Features

• A four-floor, 97,354 SF building section, housing operational spaces for 17 core laboratories and miscellaneous support services and building maintenance, including:
• State-of-the-art laboratory facilities
• A high-bay strength lab for a 1-million-pound-rated, custom testing frame
• Offices and meeting rooms
• Standard & hazardous material storage
• Modern training area  with retractable walls, an ADA-compliant assistive listening system, and adjacent pre-training assembly area
• High-bay lobby  

Drillers Operation Center Features

A single-floor, 9,084-square-foot high bay building section, housing operational space for the Drillers Operations Center that includes:

• Garage space with three drive-through double bays for holding large vehicles with trailers
• Seven overhead garage doors
• Forklift charging
• An overhead crane
• Office and warehouse spaces  

Traffic Signals Laboratory Features

This single-floor, 8,085-square-foot, high bay building section houses operational spaces for the Traffic Signals Laboratory, which includes:

• An Unconditioned storage area  
• A single overhead garage door  
• Forklift charging  
• An environmental chamber and a traffic signal testing wall
• Space for staging, work benches, cubicles, with additional office and meeting rooms