Finding the Delicate Balance: A Case Study in the Sustainable Design of Daylighting, Shade Control, and Indoor Air Quality for the Laboratory Environment

Jillian Burgess, LEED AP and Laura Carlson, AIA, LEED AP, RMJM Hillier
  
This presentation is a green building case study of the Champalimaud Research Center in Lisbon, Portugal. Participants will learn about the specific challenges and successes that the project overcame to achieve the highest sustainability standards possible.

Daylighting and shading are important tools in any building system and were studied at length to find the perfect balance to achieve low energy use and quality indoor spaces. Optimizing daylight has been shown to increase the health of occupants and improve overall productivity. However, direct sun is not optimal in research laboratories and creates glare and overheating in offices spaces. Participants will get an in-depth look at the daylighting and shading studies to understand how to optimize shading, light, and energy. Using state of the art building information modeling (BIM) and parametric modeling software, exact footcandle measurements and glare indices were carefully calculated and controlled. Simple planning strategies were also used in the laboratories to minimize glare as well as direct heat on equipment while maximizing daylight.

In addition to high quality light and shade, indoor air quality was a priority for the project. The exterior envelope was carefully studied to maintain certain air quality standards in the laboratories and vivarium. In less rigorous indoor environments, operable windows and chilled beams allow occupants to enjoy the benefits of the Mediterranean climate. The control of natural ventilation and precise humidity levels were balanced with the risks of condensation on chilled beams. Participants will gain an understanding of how these various systems can be appropriately applied to support spaces to achieve maximum comfort in health care environments.
The Champalimaud Research center is an innovative sustainable research case study. The use of light and shade created spaces that were both beneficial to the environment and nurturing to the occupants. Energy studies, light studies, indoor air, and building assembly technologies were among the many sustainable initiatives that the project utilized in creating a truly unique and nurturing sustainable health care environment.

Biographies:

Jillian Burgess, LEED AP, is a designer in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania office of RMJM Hillier. Her responsibilities include design coordination, detailing, and energy modeling throughout all phases of the architectural process. She leads the Philadelphia sustainability committee, which focuses on education, research, and innovative sustainable design solutions. Ms. Burgess is active in the local AIA Associate Committee providing support and connectivity between the educational and the practical portion of the profession.

Laura Carlson, AIA, LEED AP, is a graduate of Syracuse University School of Architecture. She joined RMJM Hillier in 1989, after working as an intern for three summers. As a laboratory designer and programmer, Laura has worked on some of Hillier's largest research and development commissions, including Duke University and pharmaceutical giant, GlaxoSmithKline. Her work has taken her across the globe—from Princeton, New Jersey, to Australia, and back. Laura is not only a great resource for laboratory design, but also one of the firm's sustainability experts.

Laura is co-chair of Professional Development at RMJM Hillier. She spoke at the Labs21 2007 Annual Conference, was a jury member for Architectural Record's Best in Advertising Awards at the 2005 AIA convention, was the organizer and a presenter for a local university's LEED 101 class, and has been published in R&D newsletter as well as the 2006 and 2007 R&D Laboratory Design Handbook.

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