Columbia University will soon begin construction on New York City’s first all-electric academic research building. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), the 80,700-sf building for the university’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons will provide eight floors of biomedical research and lab facilities as well as symposium and community engagement spaces.
With a design that uses significantly less energy than similar buildings, the Biomedical Research Building will outperform emission limits set by local law and is expected to perform 30% more efficiently than the commercial building benchmark. The facility also supports Columbia University’s plan to introduce no new fossil fuel infrastructure into campus buildings and to achieve campus-wide net-zero emissions by 2050.
Because laboratories have greater ventilation requirements than other buildings, they require more robust mechanical systems, which typically result in increased energy usage. The design team worked with sustainability consultant Atelier Ten to create an all-electric research lab building that could handle the facility’s high heating loads.
The Biomedical Research Building is heated and cooled with electric air source heat pumps that allow for energy recovery between the heating and cooling fluids, providing periods of free tempering during the year. Air-side energy recovery systems use waste heat to reduce the total energy needed to condition the building.
The high-performance façade features a window-to-wall ratio below 50%. Exterior shading and a louver system reduce solar heat gain and glare while reflecting natural light into the labs.
The building’s design integrates biophilic elements such as green walls and natural and renewable materials in collaboration spaces. A large connecting stair encourages active circulation, and corner lounges foster collaboration among researchers.
On the Building Team:
Architect: Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF)
MEP engineer: AKF Group
Structural engineer: Hatfield Group
Sustainability consultant: Atelier Ten
Lab planning consultant: Jacobs
Construction manager: LF Driscoll Healthcare
Related Stories
Affordable Housing | Sep 25, 2023
3 affordable housing projects that serve as social catalysts
Trish Donnally, Associate Principal, Perkins Eastman, shares insights from three transformative affordable housing projects.
Adaptive Reuse | Sep 19, 2023
Transforming shopping malls into 21st century neighborhoods
As we reimagine the antiquated shopping mall, Marc Asnis, AICP, Associate, Perkins&Will, details four first steps to consider.
Giants 400 | Aug 22, 2023
Top 115 Architecture Engineering Firms for 2023
Stantec, HDR, Page, HOK, and Arcadis North America top the rankings of the nation's largest architecture engineering (AE) firms for nonresidential building and multifamily housing work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Aug 22, 2023
2023 Giants 400 Report: Ranking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms
A record 552 AEC firms submitted data for BD+C's 2023 Giants 400 Report. The final report includes 137 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Giants 400 | Aug 22, 2023
Top 175 Architecture Firms for 2023
Gensler, HKS, Perkins&Will, Corgan, and Perkins Eastman top the rankings of the nation's largest architecture firms for nonresidential building and multifamily housing work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Higher Education | Aug 22, 2023
How boldly uniting divergent disciplines boosts students’ career viability
CannonDesign's Charles Smith and Patricia Bou argue that spaces designed for interdisciplinary learning will help fuel a strong, resilient generation of students in an ever-changing economy.
Adaptive Reuse | Aug 17, 2023
How to design for adaptive reuse: Don’t reinvent the wheel
Gresham Smith demonstrates the opportunities of adaptive reuse, specifically reusing empty big-box retail and malls, many of which sit unused or underutilized across the country.
Higher Education | Aug 7, 2023
Building a better academic workplace
Gensler's David Craig and Melany Park show how agile, efficient workplaces bring university faculty and staff closer together while supporting individual needs.
University Buildings | Aug 7, 2023
Eight-story Vancouver Community College building dedicated to clean energy, electric vehicle education
The Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation, to be designed by Stantec, will house classrooms, labs, a library and learning center, an Indigenous gathering space, administrative offices, and multiple collaborative learning spaces.
Market Data | Aug 1, 2023
Nonresidential construction spending increases slightly in June
National nonresidential construction spending increased 0.1% in June, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. Spending is up 18% over the past 12 months. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.07 trillion in June.
