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Ten Big Hits for Energy Cost Savings in Laboratory Buildings
John Breshears, Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects, LLP
Paul Mathew, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Educational institutions seeking to reduce their operating budgets as well as their environmental footprint need to know what design strategies are going to get them the best returns. As energy prices soar, the significance of the energy intensity of laboratory buildings grows, and pressure increases on institutions to expand sustainably.
What are the most forward-thinking laboratory designers turning to as solutions for this problem? Emerging trends in both architectural and building systems design can serve as examples for owners. The co-presenters, from Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership (ZGF) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, have been actively collaborating in the design of a new science building for the University of California at Berkeley, and have developed a set of Top Ten strategies for energy cost savings in laboratories. This presentation will outline the Ten Big Hits in saving costs in laboratory design and illustrate those strategies with a variety of project examples from ZGF's portfolio of academic science buildings, and from the library of Labs21 Case Studies. These are strategies that can be applied today to achieve great results in performance and cost savings.
Metrics and Innovations - The Ten Big Hits are:
- Get with the Program
(Programming is the first chance to influence operating costs)
- Layout Rationally
(Layout of servicing needs are as integral as layout of architecture or structure)
- Zone Appropriately
(Separate different uses, set levels of conditioning and control accordingly)
- Push the Envelope
(Design to capitalize on climatic forces)
- Structure for Daylighting
(Higher window head heights, upturned beams = lower lighting costs)
- Drop the pressure drop
(Up to 50 percent of HVAC energy goes to fans)
- Right-size the Systems
(Avoid unnecessary over-sizing of mechanical and electrical systems)
- Just Say No to Reheat
(Avoid designing a system that requires simultaneous heating and cooling)
- Scrutinize the Air Changes
(Question air change rate requirements and their motivations)
- Call the Commissioner
(Ensure that the building operates as it was intended)
The presenters will illustrate the concepts outlined with projects from Portland State University, Oregon Health and Science University, Oregon State University, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, Duke University, and others. The goal is for the audience to gain sufficient knowledge of each of the ten key approaches to feel confident in pursuing them on their next project. These strategies are ones that are not tied to a technology that can become outdated, but rather to design approaches that will stand the test of time.
Biographies:
Paul Mathew is a staff
scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), where
he works on applied research in energy efficiency and environmental
sustainability in the built environment. His current work is focused
on energy efficiency and green design for laboratories and other
high-performance buildings; energy benchmarking tools and techniques;
and risk analysis of energy efficiency projects. He has a Bachelor's
degree in architecture and a Ph.D. in building performance and diagnostics
from Carnegie Mellon University. His work experience includes technical
research, tool development, and training in energy efficiency, sustainable
design, and risk management. Prior to joining LBNL, he worked at
Enron Energy Services and the Center for Building Performance at
Carnegie Mellon University. He has spoken at the Center
for Business Intelligence's Laboratory Construction and
Renovation conferences, the U.S. Green Building Council's Greenbuild
conferences, and has conducted over 15 Labs21 Introductory Courses
over the last four years.
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