The Vermont Department of Health and the University of Vermont in late October held ribbon-cutting ceremonies for a 60,000-sf public health laboratory that is nearly twice the size of the 62-year-old lab it replaces. The laboratory will be used to perform a wide range of analyses to detect biological, toxicological, chemical, and radiological threats to the health of the population, from testing for rabies, West Nile, pertussis and salmonella to water and food contaminants.
The new $31 million facility, located at the Colchester Business and Technology Park, took 18 months from its notice to proceed to its completion. It is distinguished by highly specialized Biosafety Level 3 and Animal Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3 and ABSL-3) laboratories, as well as high-performance building enclosure, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire suppression systems to conduct specialized laboratory work.
That mechanical system accounted for about 40% of the project’s total cost, and posed the biggest installation challenge for Vermont-based PC Construction, the contractor on this project, according to Matt Cooke, PC’s senior project manager. “The building’s ‘penthouse’ is all mechanical, and the facility is jammed-packed with air recovery and exchange equipment.
He says that “to make everything fit,” PC and the Building Team did extensive BIM modeling That team consisted of HDR (architectural design), Scott & Partners (exterior envelope), Krebs & Lansing (civil engineering), Zero by Design (energy consultation), as well as the State of Vermont Department of Building and General Services and the university (owners).
Westphalen Photography
PC Construction has built a number “clean rooms” in the past, but nothing as elaborate as this facility, which includes one of the few BSL3 labs in the country, says Cooke. He notes that some of the lab space requires zero leakage, so everything—including the electrical boxes and windows—needed to be sealed. Cooke adds that what also makes the facility unique are its “systems and automated controls” for the anterooms and air exchange machinery.
The building sits on a foundation supported by 180 H-piles that are driven to depths of between 70 and 90 feet. The original plans called for piles that would only need to be 60 to 65 feet deep. “But once we got out there and started drilling,” Cooke says PC found that the geological survey hadn’t sufficiently taken into account the location of underground rocks, which dictated far-deeper piles.
The facility design called for its six flue-gas stacks to be 75 feet above ground, which required FAA approval and a non-reflective coating due to their height and proximity to Burlington International Airport.
Westphalen Photography
PC Construction
PC Construction
PC Construction
Related Stories
| Oct 4, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: Nearly seamless highly insulated glass curtain-wall system introduced
Low insulation value reflects value of entire curtain-wall system.
| Oct 4, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: Ready-to-use wood primer unveiled
Maintains strong UV protection, clarity even with application of lighter, natural wood tones.
| Oct 4, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: Two new recycled glass products announced
The two collections offer both larger and smaller particulates.
| Oct 4, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: Mythic Paint launches two new paint products
A high performance paint, and a combination paint and primer now available.
| Oct 4, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: Wall protection line now eligible to contribute to LEED Pilot Credit 43
The Cradle-to-Cradle Certified Wall Protection Line offers an additional option for customers to achieve LEED project certification.
| Oct 3, 2011
Magellan Development Group opens Village Market in Chicago’s Lakeshore East neighborhood
Magellan Development Group and Hanwha Engineering & Construction are joint-venture development partners on the project. The Village Market was designed for Silver LEED certification by Loewenberg Architects and built by McHugh Construction.
| Oct 3, 2011
Balance bunker and Phase III projects breaks ground at Mitsubishi Plant in Georgia
The facility, a modification of similar facilities used by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Inc. (MHI) in Japan, was designed by a joint design team of engineers and architects from The Austin Company of Cleveland, Ohio, MPSA and MHI.
| Oct 3, 2011
Cauceglia to lead Allsteel’s global accounts
Cauceglia is responsible for developing new global business strategies and expanding existing business within the Fortune 500 sector.
| Sep 30, 2011
BBS Architects & Engineers completes welcoming center at St. Charles Resurrection Cemetery
The new structure serves as the cemetery's focal architectural point and center of operations.
| Sep 30, 2011
Kilbourn joins Perkins Eastman
Kilbourn joins with more than 28 years of design and planning experience for communities, buildings, and interiors in hospitality, retail/mixed-use, corporate office, and healthcare.