Energy Efficient Design Solutions

Brian Griffin, Architect and Laboratory Design Consultant, Australia

Abstract:

Ecological Sustainable Design (ESD) for laboratory buildings varies with the climatic conditions of the site. Examples are double skin facades for extreme variations of outside temperature experienced in Canada and Scotland. The Australian example is an inner skin of glass and the outer skin of louvres, for sun shading.

Air-conditioning of laboratory buildings are now changing from a central plant to multiple decentralised units. Energy is saved by allowing individual laboratories to control their conditioning to be either 24-hour continuous or only as required during the use of the laboratory. To save energy, natural ventilation to some areas is now replacing air conditioning the whole building. Atria, which induce natural convection and other means of circulating cool/warm air from cool/warm "banks" and geothermal heat pumps, achieve acceptable, indeed desirable, fresh air to areas which do not require laboratory environments.

Considerable savings in both energy and capital expenditure are now being achieved by departmental staff accepting the new policy of shared laboratory instrumentation and equipment.

Visual acuity is enhanced by indirect lighting so the more efficient indirect luminaries can save energy.

By combining two levels of office and support areas with one level of laboratory space and an accessible services ceiling, savings in both energy and capital cost can be achieved.

If local exhaust systems are used to extract odours and fine particles at the source, the air conditioning of the general environment will have a reduced load, saving energy.

A case study demonstrates how a small country hospital saved energy and reduced CO² emissions by "cogeneration."

A cool room with multiple glass doors for easy access by staff is a better alternative as it eliminates the heat emissions into the laboratory by individual refrigerator and freezer units.

Biography:

Brian Griffin has a BArch from the University of Sydney and was awarded the Stephenson Turner Scholarship. Research at the University Grants Committee, London led to a Ford Foundation Grant to undertake further research at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY. Returning to Australia he joined major architectural firms as their Chief Designer working mainly on university science projects.

In 1975 he commenced private practice specialising in laboratory design. Recent and current projects are for universities in Biological Sciences, Human Life Sciences and Chemical Sciences. Serving on the Standards Australia Committee for Laboratory Design, speaking at Conferences and as the author of numerous feature articles and the book 'Laboratory Design Guide' he seeks to disseminate information to the design professions and the scientific community.

Design briefs of recent projects have stressed the need for ecological sustainable solutions which are the subject of his presentation.