Some science-design experts once believed high levels of sustainability would be possible only for low-intensity labs in temperate zones. However, LEED Silver- and Gold-rated science projects, including chemistry-heavy facilities in extreme climates, are no longer viewed as particularly remarkable.
Advancements in HVAC get much of the credit since controlled pressurization and once-through airflow are the main reason labs have historically used so much energy. Today’s Building Teams are striving to understand actual environmental requirements for safety and good science, instead of using dubious rules of thumb that drive overdesign. For instance, continuous air-quality assessment is now possible through sensor-based demand-controlled ventilation, decreasing reliance on arbitrary guidelines for air changes per hour. Other enabling technologies include advanced ductless fume hoods and submetering to assess plug loads.
Chilled beams, geothermal, photovoltaics, radiant heating and cooling, process water recycling, and passive design are among the essential ingredients for the next generation of super-green S+T projects. To date, fewer than 40 labs have earned LEED-NC Platinum—reflecting the typology’s difficulty level, as well clients’ cautiousness. The short list of completed net-zero S+T buildings includes the J. Craig Venter Institute, opening this month in La Jolla, Calif.; Georgia Tech’s Carbon-Neutral Energy Solutions Laboratory, the Platinum winner in BD+C’s 2013 Building Team Awards; and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Research Support Facility, primarily devoted to computational work. Three small educational science buildings have also been certified under the Living Building Challenge.
The sector’s dedication to sustainability has been tested by the withdrawal of all federal funding for Labs21—an EPA- and DoE-sponsored program that long led the charge toward greener labs. Funding cuts have also constrained the participation of leading researchers, particularly at NREL and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories—a nonprofit that had already been running the group’s annual conferences and continuing ed programs—has instituted a new membership-based structure and a mechanism for regional and local chapter formation, similar to that of ASHRAE.
“I2SL perpetuates and expands on the mission of Labs21,” says Phil Wirdzek, President and Executive Director. “We are actively working to develop training and share expertise on creating sustainable labs and related high-tech facilities.” I2SL (www.i2sl.org) is now coordinating working groups to address the obstacles to achieving net-zero and other aggressive levels of green for new and existing facilities.
Perkins+Will recently completed the 120,000-sf Clinical and Translational Research Building for the University of Florida, serving not only the Gainesville campus but also the state at large. Tenants include the UF Clinical and Translational Science Institute and Institute of Aging, as well as groups studying biostatics, epidemiology, muscular dystrophy, and health outcomes and policy. Targeting LEED Platinum, the building includes PVs that will generate 8-12% of its power needs, advanced daylighting, rainwater recycling, and displacement ventilation systems. Also on the Building Team: AEI (MEP), Structural Engineers Group (SE), and Skanska USA (GC). PHOTO: © ROBIN HILL
Related Stories
| Jul 16, 2014
Check out this tree-like skyscraper concept for vertical farming
Aprilli Design Studio has stepped forward with a new idea for a vertical farm, which is intended to resemble a giant tree. It uses lightweight decks as outdoor growing space, adding up to about 25 acres of space.
| Jul 16, 2014
User input on aquatics center keeps students in the swim [2014 Building Team Awards]
Collaborative spirit abounds in the expansion and renovation of a high school pool facility in suburban Chicago.
| Jul 16, 2014
Nonresidential construction starts up 34% in June
Construction starts for nonresidential work saw a surge in June, rising more than a third compared with the previous month, according to Reed Construction Data.
| Jul 16, 2014
ASHRAE, IAQA team up to improve resources on indoor air quality
Indoor Air Quality Association will become part of the ASHRAE organization while maintaining its own brand and board; HQ will relocate to Atlanta.
| Jul 15, 2014
Michael Graves talks with Washington Post about new design eye from life in a wheelchair
Celebrated American architect Michael Graves sits with the Washington Post to talk about how being on a wheelchair changed the way he focuses on design.
| Jul 15, 2014
A look into the history of modular construction
Modular construction is more than a century old, and throughout its lifespan, the methods have been readapted to meet specific needs of different eras.
| Jul 15, 2014
AECOM to buy URS Corporation in $6 billion deal
Together, the firms will form a massive global giant with more than $19 billion in revenue and 95,000 employees in 150 countries.
| Jul 14, 2014
Meet the bamboo-tent hotel that can grow
Beijing-based design cooperative Penda designed a bamboo hotel that can easily expand vertically or horizontally.
| Jul 14, 2014
Foster + Partners unveils triple-glazed tower for RMK headquarters
The London-based firm unveiled plans for the Russian Copper Company's headquarters in Yekaterinburg.
| Jul 14, 2014
Toyota selects developer for its new North American headquarters in Plano, Texas
Toyota announced that it has selected Dallas-based KDC Real Estate Development & Investments to develop its new North American headquarters campus in the Legacy West development in Plano, Texas.