introduction to the architecture of high performance, lowenergy labs

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introduction to the architecture of high
performance, low-energy labs
Revised 6 Sep 06
University of Glasgow 18 September 2006
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The Laboratory A Unique Building Type

• Sophisticated owners.
• Important health and safety goals.
• Aesthetic and formal missions.
• Attract and retain world-class scientists.
• Long investment horizon.
• Complex operation.
• High energy intensity.

Rowan University Center, Pittman, New Jersey
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Laboratory Types

• The lab type determines its energy impact.
• Chemical Laboratories
• Fume hood intensive.
• Organic, inorganic, physical, and analytical
  chemistry.
• Biological Laboratories
• Fume hood and bio-safety cabinet intensive.
• Thermal environments (e.g., cold rooms, warm
  rooms, containment).
• Physical Sciences Laboratories
• High plug loads with an abundance and variety of
  electrically powered instruments.
• Small amount of built-in furniture.

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Conventional Building
Skin-Load Dominated (small building in cold
climate)
Internal-Load Dominated (large building in any
climate)
H
H
O
O
C
L
L
C
H Heating Load L Lighting Load C Cooling
Load Other, including ventilation and plug loads
O
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The Lab Energy Challenge
Ventilation and Process-Dominated (any climate)
C
O
H
L

H Heating Load L Lighting Load C Cooling
Load Other, including ventilation and plug loads
O
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Design Process Programming Phase

• Form multi-disciplinary planning team
• Define user needs and requirements
• Categorize chemicals and operations by hazard
  levels
• Set goals for cost, flexibility, sustainability
  based on hazard level, code implications, and
  technical requirements
• Develop Request for Proposal (RFP) for A/E that
  defines goals

Form internal working group to do internal
homework
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Design Process Setting Goals

• Quantifiable and measurable, e.g.,
• 30 below ASHRAE 90.1
• LEED Gold
• 100 daylit during the hours of 1000 am 200
  pm
• BTU/sf/yr
• Total building energy use
• Review, confirm, revise at each project stage
  50, 90, and FINAL
• Consider using Labs21
• Design Intent Tool
• Environmental Performance Criteria
• Design Process Manual

Define clear and quantifiable energy goals
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Design Process Design Charrettes
Use design charrettes as part of the integrated
design process

• Provides clear vision
• Defines goals
• Multi-disciplinary

See Planning and Conducting Charrettes for
High-Performance Projects at www.highperformanceb
uildings.gov
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Design Process Incorporate Sustainability
Early
Incorporate Labs21 sustainable design principles
early (most cost-effective)

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Program Early in the Design Process
Architectural Integration Issues

• Right-sizing HVAC
• Size and number of chillers, fans duct sizes
• Low-pressure drop design
• Adequate space for larger coils, ducts
• Energy recovery
• Space and adjacency requirements for desiccant
  wheels
• Daylighting in labs
• Lab orientation and spatial configuration
• Cascading airflow
• Spatial adjacencies

NREL-STF The use of daylighting and a butterfly
roof to detain stormwater are key design
determinants
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Programming Sustainable HVAC Design

• Locate HVAC services as a fundamental planning
  element.
• Arrange mechanical distribution systems neatly
  and conveniently.
• Ensure efficient air distribution
• undersized or convoluted duct runs increase
  resistance to airflow and, thus, fan energy
  consumption.
• Remember, the building is the essential system.

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Results of Sustainable Programming

• Carefully assessing user needs and equipment
  requirements
• Global Ecology Center, Stanford University
• Highest density equipment moved to un-cooled
  warehouse
• Most temperature-sensitive equipment in separate
  room, reducing the area with tight temperature
  control requirement
• Additional 17 savings

Source EHDD Architecture
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Design Process - Consider Modular Lab Planning

• Reduces engineering time
• Integration of MEP systems is more costly in labs
• Offers cost savings due to prefabrication of
  ductwork and piping
• Leads to greater flexibility

Module diagram illustrating standard relationship
between benches and supply and exhaust, and piping
Source Earl Walls Associates
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Laboratory Module Issues

• Location of Fume Hoods
• Place fume hoods at dead-end locations away
  from entryways and circulation routes
• Supply Air Diffusers and Fume Hoods
• Place diffusers to avoid compromising hood
  containment and ventilation short circuiting
• Eliminate cross-contamination between
  laboratories
• Minimize areas requiring controlled environments
• Consider cascading supply air from non-laboratory
  spaces to laboratory spaces for exhaust
• Design flexibility based on programmatic goals
• Operational vs. Physical flexibility

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Laboratory Module Size

• Width tends to be 10-6 to 12-0 to accommodate
  ADA requirements and changing work procedures.
• Module length varies from 25 to 40.
• Floor-to-floor height depends on systems
  distribution scheme.

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Lab Module Arrangements

• Modules can be combined and divided to satisfy
  programmatic space needs.
• Once a module has been established it must not be
  compromised.
• Coordinate the location of circulation routes and
  researcher offices.

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Module Design and AdjacencyCascading Airflow

Inward Airflow
SUPPLY
EXHAUST
Adapted with permission by Gregory DeLuga,
Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
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Design Process Distribution System Alternatives

• Conventional Utilities
• Overhead ceiling and shaft distribution
• Vertical interior shafts
• Multiple exterior shafts
• Flexible Utilities
• Backbone service corridors
• Interstitial spaces
• Full interstitial floors
• Partial interstitial volumes

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle,
Washington
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Overhead Ceiling and Shaft Distribution

• Conventional approach to distribution
• Least flexible
• Servicing system intrudes upon research space
• Energy efficiency may be more challenging

• Advantages
• Economical (Net/Gross and )
• Simple duct and pipe runs
• Disadvantages
• Requires larger ceiling space
• Service and utility access will be through
• suspended ceiling

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Vertical Interior Shafts

• Advantages
• Shorter horizontal runs smaller ducts and
  pipes
• Multiple shafts smaller ducts and pipes
• Below eye-level access to shut off valves
• Lower floor-to-floor heights due to smaller
  ducts
• and pipes
• Disadvantages
• Multiple shafts multiple obstructions and
• reduced flexibility
• Difficulty adding future vertical ducts
• Multiple shafts decrease net-to-gross ratio

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Vertical Interior Shaft College of
Engineering, Rowan University, Pittman, New Jersey
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Flexible UtilitiesBackbone Service
Corridor

• Advantages
• Continuous access for maintenance through
• service corridor without entering labs
• Shut off valves and electrical panels easily
• accessible
• Service corridor could house shared or moist or
• heat producing lab equipment
• Disadvantages
• Service corridor affects net-to-gross ratio
• negatively
• Service corridor impairs or prevents space
• flexibility

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Service Corridor Interior
Solar Energy Research Facility,National
Renewable Energy Laboratory, Colorado
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Corridor Example SUNY-Binghamton
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Flexible Utilities Interstitial Spaces

• Advantages
• Unobstructed floor plan
• Minimum disruption in lab during routine
• maintenance and alterations
• Services available from above/below at any point
• on planning module
• Disadvantages
• Adds to ceiling height
• Adds to building gross space
• Requires additional structure (access floor,
  etc.)
• May require additional fire protection in
  interstitial
• floor
• May add to cost of building

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Comparison of Floor Heights
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Fred Hutchinson Laboratory

• Phased development with full interstitial spaces.
• Interstitial design permitted mechanical work,
  finish work, and other construction tasks to be
  performed simultaneously, reducing construction
  time nearly 20.

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NIH Louis Stokes Laboratory
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High performance, low-energy labsConcluding
Comments

• Reducing energy use in lab buildings is a very
  different challenge than in other building types.
• Whole building design and HVAC must be a
  fundamental planning element not an after
  thought.
• Many different system distribution alternatives
  are available choose the best for your facility.
  
• Great examples of lab building design are ready
  for your review.

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End of Session