Golden Valley-based Mortenson, one of the largest construction companies in the United States, announced Thursday that it’s opened BLUlabs, a state-of-the-art research and development facility in Fridley.

Mortenson provides building, development, and engineering services in the commercial, institutional, and energy sectors. “The newly opened BLUlabs provides 40,000 square feet of configurable industrial space designed to support real-world testing, prototyping, and product development,” Mortenson said in a news release.

Mortenson’s new facility is located in the Northern Stacks industrial park in the northern suburb of Fridley.

“BLUlabs is an incubator for the ideas that will shape the future of construction,” Gene Hodge, vice president of innovation at Mortenson, said in a written statement. “We needed a dedicated space where teams could test tools, technologies, and processes in a controlled environment. This new facility is a testament to our belief that innovation thrives when given space to grow.”

The research and development center has configurable bays and workspaces. It is outfitted with advanced equipment, including 3D printers, CAD (computer-aided design) equipment and software, CNC (computer numerical control) machines, a plasma cutting table, and tools for carpentry, metal, concrete, and electrical work.

The new facility will be open to all Mortenson employees to support experimentation and cross-functional collaboration. There will be dedicated engineering and fabrication staff at the site to assist with designing, prototyping, and equipment operation.

“Innovation is engrained in how we work, think, and deliver projects for our customers,” Derek Cunz, Mortenson’s president and CEO, said in the news release. “From our early VDC [virtual design and construction] efforts at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, to building manufacturing facilities, to advanced industrialization on energy and data center projects, we’ve always pushed what’s possible in design and construction. BLUlabs is another step in our journey.”

Mortenson’s innovation team exists to empower project teams to “develop and scale new products, technologies, and businesses across its portfolio,” the company said. Prior innovations have included advances in electrical integration, precast concrete, virtual design and construction, and artificial intelligence tools. “Ideas submitted by team members are evaluated, prototyped, and tested in real-world conditions before being deployed broadly,” Mortenson said.