The National Wind Institute (NWI) at Texas Tech University is a world-renowned research center focused on wind, wind science, wind energy, wind engineering and wind hazard mitigation. Based on more than 45 years of research, the NWI represents the nation's leading university wind-focused research and education enterprise.

NWI organizes and manages large multi-dimensional wind-related research projects and serves as the contact point for major project sponsors and other external partners. Having a space to collaborate is essential, and NWI manages and supports several research facilities as well as a 67-acre research field site to support atmospheric, engineering and other academic to better understand wind energy and wind hazards mitigation.

200 m Meteorological Tower

A 200-meter meteorological tower measures atmospheric conditions at 10 levels above ground. The measurements include wind speed and direction, temperature, relative humidity and barometric pressure.

All measurements are sampled at 50 Hz, 24 hours a day, allowing researchers to study boundary layer stability, low-level jets, thunderstorm outflows and other atmospheric events.

Tower specification

• Four foot triangular lattice tower design
• 14 foot square tubing boom arms
• Erico Dynasphere lightning protection
• FAA lighting
• Elevator

Wind Engineering Research Field Laboratory (WERFL)

The Wind Engineering Research Field Laboratory (WERFL) was constructed in Lubbock, Texas on the campus of Texas Tech University in 1989. The facility has consistently generated high-quality data used for validation of wind tunnel and computational fluid dynamic results.

Located at Reese Technology Center, WERFL consists of a 160 foot meteorological tower with instruments at five heights and a test structure measuring 30 by 45 feet and 13 feet high. Wind flow from an azimuth angle of approximately 280 degrees passes through the tower before impacting the test building.

Instrument heights

• 8, 13, 33, 70 and 160 feet above ground

Points of contact