Gov. Deval Patrick and other state representatives gathered yesterday to celebrate the opening of the Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems (CSE) in South Boston.

Fraunhofer CSE is part of an international research network spearheaded by Germany’s Fraunhofer Society, Europe’s largest contract research and development organization. The new facility, located in Boston’s Innovation District at 5 Channel Center St., has 42 employees and includes a living laboratory to support companies and clean energy technologies.

"This building is a brick and mortar example of how our clean energy policies are producing real results here in the commonwealth," Patrick said in a statement. "This living laboratory will provide the necessary backdrop to test the promising solar and energy efficiency technologies of tomorrow."

The Center Street building is more than 100-year-old building was once slated for demolition. It has been retrofitted for Fraunhofer CSE using high-efficiency technologies, such as hydronic heating and cooling, LED lighting, innovative insulation and automated building management.

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center has invested $7.5 million since 2008 to help establish Fraunhofer CSE. As one part of this work, Fraunhofer CSE has connected 23 Massachusetts-based early stage clean energy technology companies with more than $54 million in follow-on venture funding through the center’s TechBridge program, which helps clean energy start-ups build, develop and validate their technologies towards commercialization.

"Massachusetts remains a top destination for innovation, including clean energy innovation," Housing and Economic Development Secretary Greg Bialecki said in a statement. "We remain committed to supporting these types of developments that are helping to build a strong economic future for our commonwealth."