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
Data Centers | Apr 14, 2023
JLL's data center outlook: Cloud computing, AI driving exponential growth for data center industry
According to JLL’s new Global Data Center Outlook, the mass adoption of cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) is driving exponential growth for the data center industry, with hyperscale and edge computing leading investor demand.
Healthcare Facilities | Apr 13, 2023
Healthcare construction costs for 2023
Data from Gordian breaks down the average cost per square foot for a three-story hospital across 10 U.S. cities.
Higher Education | Apr 13, 2023
Higher education construction costs for 2023
Fresh data from Gordian breaks down the average cost per square foot for a two-story college classroom building across 10 U.S. cities.
K-12 Schools | Apr 13, 2023
Creating a sense of place with multipurpose K-12 school buildings
Multipurpose buildings serve multiple program and functional requirements. The issue with many of these spaces is that they tend not to do any one thing well.
Healthcare Facilities | Apr 13, 2023
Urgent care facilities: Intentional design for mental and behavioral healthcare
The emergency department (ED) is the de-facto front door for behavior health crises, and yet these departments are understaffed, overwhelmed, and ill-equipped to navigate the layered complexities of highly demanding physical and behavioral health needs.
Office Buildings | Apr 13, 2023
L.A. headquarters for startup Califia Farms incorporates post-pandemic hybrid workplace design concepts
The new Los Angeles headquarters for fast-growing Califia Farms, a brand of dairy alternative products, was designed by SLAM with the post-Covid hybrid work environment in mind. Located in Maxwell Coffee House, a historic production facility built in 1924 that has become a vibrant mixed-use complex, the office features a café bordered by generous meeting rooms.
Urban Planning | Apr 12, 2023
Watch: Trends in urban design for 2023, with James Corner Field Operations
Isabel Castilla, a Principal Designer with the landscape architecture firm James Corner Field Operations, discusses recent changes in clients' priorities about urban design, with a focus on her firm's recent projects.
3D Printing | Apr 11, 2023
University of Michigan’s DART Laboratory unveils Shell Wall—a concrete wall that’s lightweight and freeform 3D printed
The University of Michigan’s DART Laboratory has unveiled a new product called Shell Wall—which the organization describes as the first lightweight, freeform 3D printed and structurally reinforced concrete wall. The innovative product leverages DART Laboratory’s research and development on the use of 3D-printing technology to build structures that require less concrete.
Market Data | Apr 11, 2023
Construction crane count reaches all-time high in Q1 2023
Toronto, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Denver top the list of U.S/Canadian cities with the greatest number of fixed cranes on construction sites, according to Rider Levett Bucknall's RLB Crane Index for North America for Q1 2023.
University Buildings | Apr 11, 2023
Supersizing higher education: Tracking the rise of mega buildings on university campuses
Mega buildings on higher education campuses aren’t unusual. But what has been different lately is the sheer number of supersized projects that have been in the works over the last 12–15 months.