Contract - April 2010 - (Page 60)

process science in the age of the The Stanford University School of Medicine’s atrium (above) is defined by an interaction screen and PV roof canopy. Science is at the start of a new age: the age of the invisible, where research increasingly relies on interdisciplinary approaches and the use of digital tools allowing discovery at unprecedented subatomic scales. At the same time, climate change has emerged as a major concern, with many academic institutions committing to steadily tighten their fossil fuel reduction standard for all new buildings and major renovations, with the goal of net carbon neutrality by 2030. Research laboratory buildings turn out to be one of the biggest challenges to achieving this goal. Their energy consumption per square foot typically exceeds that of hospitals by a factor of two—and general academic and office buildings by a factor of five. Labs also use disproportionate amounts of water and have a substantial waste stream, some of it toxic. Anshen+Allen created the “Science in the Age of the Invisible” study and design methodology to investigate new ways to address both sustainability and the rapidly evolving needs of today’s scientific research. The goal is to develop adaptable design innovations that yield advanced research facilities with net-zero carbon emissions. Adaptability is key, because a new lab building easily could take six years between initial design and the end of construction. During that length of time, both science and green design technologies can evolve significantly. Making a building adaptable is better than making it flexible. Rather than providing all spaces with all the infrastructure needed for different uses, the smarter approach is to make it easy to convert spaces for different uses. That led to the development of a plug-and-play approach. The environment wall is one example. Instead of a traditional, centralized, rooftop mechanical/electrical/plumbing (MEP) system, the environment wall deploys the equipment vertically, which allows for decentralized MEP systems and lateral air distribution. Spaces that Anshen + Allen investigates new ways to address both sustainability and the rapidly evolving needs of today’s scientific research By David Martin, AIA, LEED AP, principal, Anshen + Allen 60 contract april 2010 www.contractdesign.com http://www.contractdesign.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Contract - April 2010

Contract - April 2010
Contents
Editor's Note
Industry
Resources: The Green Scene
Focus: Land of Opportunity
Green: Post-Occupancy Green
Practice: Legal Green
Lean & Green
Environmental Extraordinaire
Above the Legal Limit
Informing the Masses
Luxury in the Raw
Designers Rate: Green Products
Process: Science in the Age of the Invisible
Sources
Ad Index
Perspectives

Contract - April 2010