Consulting-Specifying Engineer - December 2008 - (Page 33)

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// “Biomedical research isn’t often done at such capacity,” said KlingStubbins engineering design principal Jeff Heiken. “Usually it is 40,000 sq ft dedicated to a specific science in a single building, not a high-rise of this size.” Power for the entire campus operates on a 15 kV redundant loop, with RC-2 electrical service switch gears on two mediumvoltage 15 kV circuit breakers that automatically switch over to emergency generators if necessary while UPS systems cover the emergency lighting needs throughout the lab. “That way, if a researcher is in the middle of something and all the power goes out, they don’t get stuck in the dark until the generator kicks in,” Heiken said. The school wanted architectural flexibility, so a room could be customized according to a researcher’s needs. The designs incorporated modular, flexible, and redundant lab designs with varying options for procedural spaces. With this in mind, the design plan focused on a set density of chemical fume hoods that could easily expand or contract without significant infrastructural alterations as research needs or techniques evolve. High density of data and power access was added throughout all research areas, with more than 10,000 power receptacles throughout the building. “With these designs, if a new researcher joins the university and wants to do something different, you don’t have to rip out the system and go through various ductwork changes to reconfigure the room,” Heiken said. “It’s already built into the system.” The builing offers highly adaptable and flexible labs. High-tech ventilation Eight custom variable volume air handlers at 80,000 cfm provide conditioning and ventilation for the laboratory, support, and office spaces. Because of Denver’s arid climate, all air handlers were fitted with evaporative cooling sections, which function to reduce the overall mechanical refrigeration needs. The primary cooling for the building is a centralized campus loop, which features high-efficiency chiller units capable of diversifying the loading profiles on a campus-wide level. A glycol pump-around heat recovery system has coils in the main exhaust air stream on the roof, which captures thermal energy for preheating or precooling at associated coils in the main air handlers to reduce primary cooling and heating peak loads. Within the building, three very large vertical shafts are sized for air distribution. The exhaust is routed to the seven roof-mounted utility set fans that are connected to a series of high-velocity, high-dispersion stacks. The conditioned supply air from the second level has louvered intakes strategically positioned to prevent re-entrainment of exhausted contaminants. The supply ducting connects horizontally on the mechanical room level prior to rising vertically to the research levels with more than 1,500 laboratory supply and exhaust air control devices. Lighting control elements were added with energy-saving occupancy sensors, and photocell-controlled exterior security and safety lighting. Preset dimming stations in the lecture theater and gathering spaces, and perimeter offices equipped with automatic dual level switching with dual ballasts controlled via photosensors also conserve energy. “It’s a state-of-the-art building that can adapt to just about anything researchers might need in the future,” said Heiken. This typical laboratory environment shows the pendant-mounted light fixtures. Photo: ME Engineers The main laboratory exhausters sit on the RC-2 roof. Photo: Fentress Architects Consulting-Specifying Engineer • DECEMBER 2008 33

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Consulting-Specifying Engineer - December 2008 Contents Viewpoint News M/E Roundtable ARC Awards New Construction Gold New Construction Silver New Construction Bronze Renovation Gold Renovation Silver A Green Approach to Air Conditioning Systems Turning Down the Lights Case Study New Products Equipment Lifecycles Advertiser Index Green Space Gas Technology Pure Power Supplement

Consulting-Specifying Engineer - December 2008

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