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Sustainable High-Performance Laboratory Design

Dirk von Below and Joseph Ostafi, Flad Architects

In this session, the team will discuss the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC) at Stony Brook University in New York. This facility is a case study in cutting-edge sustainable design folded into a unique building that supports alternative energy research.

Stony Brook University's new research center addresses fundamental research projects searching for clean, plentiful, reliable, and renewable sources of energy. There is an established goal of LEED® v2.2 Platinum rating. The center will function as an interdisciplinary research hub that unites biological, chemical, imaging, and heavy engineering laboratories under one roof. From the beginning it was a goal of the project to create innovative laboratories in a high-performance building that minimizes the environmental footprint and demonstrates sustainable technologies to users and visitors. The building will provide an optimal platform for a variety of sciences, as well as flexible laboratory spaces, shared core laboratories, and a pleasant environment conducive to interaction and study.

The design team focused on improving the laboratory's energy use and environmental quality with the following strategies:

• Orientate the building to minimize solar heat gain and maximize natural light.
• Minimize the depth of the building to allow for natural light at all occupied spaces.
• Reduce energy use in laboratories by 14 percent.
• Manage fume hood exhaust with occupancy sensors, air monitoring, and variable air volume fans.
• Contain chemical waste on site.

Further measures reduced the overall energy costs by about 29 percent below the ASHRAE 90.1, 2004 benchmark:

• Install exterior sun shading with removable photovoltaic panels to produce renewable energy, reduce heat gain and glare, and provide a testing ground for researchers.
• Use ice storage to shave daily peak loads for air conditioning and work with local utilities to maximize cost savings.
• Conserve water by using gray water from rain and use indigenous vegetation without a need for irrigation.
• Reduce air flow by employing chilled beams in the offices, thereby reducing fan sizes and energy use.
• Explore other opportunities to demonstrate innovative technologies to staff, students, and visitors like an energy monitoring kiosk, solar hot water production, solar energy generation, and a roof design emphasizing the collection of natural rain water.

Biographies:

Dirk von Below, AIA, LEED AP, has 18 years of comprehensive architectural experience including cost estimates, planning, and quality assurance. He has worked for international clients on projects that were managed in German and English. He has managed large projects where he had to balance state-of-the-art design, efficiency, and environmental design within a tight financial framework. Mr. von Below is a LEED certified professional and is a member of the US Green Building Council. His project experience while at Flad includes: Stony Brook University, Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center in Stony Brook, New York; Alternate Fuel Vehicle Research Laboratory in Malta, New York; and Eli Lilly and Company, Building 314 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Joseph Ostafi, AIA, LEED AP, has over 10 years of architectural experience in facilities for the pharmaceutical, research and development, and academic fields. His focus has been in the design of science and technology, laboratory planning, manufacturing, and site master planning. He has been involved in many projects on accelerated schedules and has worked with a variety of project delivery schemes. The experience of serving this variety of clients in different markets has equipped him to work at the center of a multidisciplinary team and carry difficult projects through to a successful and timely completion. Mr. Ostafi is a LEED certified professional and is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council. His project experience while at Flad includes: Stony Brook University, Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center; Stony Brook, New York; Confidential Client, Sustainable Energy Research Center in the United Kingdom; New York State Department of Energy Conservation, Alternate Fuel Vehicle Research Laboratory in Malta, New York; USDA, Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin; multiple projects for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL); and the Influenza Research Institute in Madison, Wisconsin.

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