“We were able to utilize a lot of our local subcontrac- tors and suppliers to bring this to fruition,” Brewer said. Personnel had to be flexible and make adjustments during the construction process because design of the equipment to be installed in the facility was still evolv- ing. “That made it difficult to plan and schedule the project as a whole,” Dudas said. Nearly everyone involved at every level of this proj- ect was aware of the magnitude of the completed fa- cility’s mission. “This is the first time something like this has ever been built. We knew how unique it is, and the impact it will have. We take that very, very seriously,” Choate said. Although the economic feasibility of wind farms on land remains questionable, he said, offshore wind farms – which will use the equipment tested in this fa- cility – are very promising. Playing a role in advancing such next-generation technology is, Choate said, “phe- nomenal.” “It’s cool,” he said. “There were a lot of challenges and unbelievable intensity.” Brewer agreed there’s been a lot of buzz about the “extraordinary” test facility. “People ask about it all the time.” Studies have shown that this is a high-reward area for harvesting wind energy,” Brewer said. “There’s po- tential to change the way we generate energy as we know it here in Charleston and beyond.” The South Carolina Construction News — October/November 2013 – 5