We partnered with Stantec to design the site layout and secure necessary permits for a new cyberwarfare laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base, the largest Air Force Base in the United States. The base required this facility to expand its research and testing capabilities in cyberwarfare technology. Our design included the laboratory building, employee parking, semi-truck and antenna trailer docking areas, dumpster placement, and stormwater drainage infrastructure, all compliant with the Okaloosa Land Development Code, Urban Hydrology for Small Watersheds (TR-55), and military design guides.
We faced strict regulatory requirements throughout the design process. We created a 33-ft. offset line around the proposed building where the line of sight could not be obscured, designed parking spaces to 9-ft. by 18.5-ft. dimensions, and developed stormwater systems to handle 2-year and 10-year, 24-hour storms. The primary challenge was fitting all design features within the site boundary while working around existing buried utilities from the site’s previous use as living space. We ensured proper roadway access for truck routing and dumpster service vehicles.
We applied for and coordinated permits with the Northwest Florida Water Management District and the United States Army Corps of Engineers. This project demonstrated how civil engineers support military mission research by addressing environmental, logistical, and infrastructure requirements through secure and compliant site design.