Sustainable Strategies for Complex Laboratories in a Challenging Climate: USTAR Case Study Part 2, Verification of Actual Daylighting as Compared to the BIM Simulation

Joshua Gassman, Architect, LEED BD+C, Lord Aeck & Sargent
Benjamin Ridderbos, Architectural Designer, LEED BD+C, Lord Aeck & Sargent

The Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building-USTAR (SMBB) is a 210,000 GSF facility designed to support collaborative biomedical and neuroscience research across disciplines and promote the growth of new businesses in these fields in the State of Utah. It will house 24 principal research investigators and their support staff--recruited by the University of Utah through the Utah Science Technology and Research Initiative (USTAR)--and core laboratories including Microscopy, Imaging and Nanofabrication.

The SMBB design was presented at Labs21 in 2010 by Lord Aeck & Sargent and USTAR prior to construction of the building. This is part two of the planned two-part presentation. The 2010 presentation shared projected results from BIM daylighting studies and energy modeling. This presentation will present actual measured data as compared to the modeled data, with a focus on the daylighting of the open labs.

The SMBB design was a direct response to the arid climate and project program requirements. The call for a LEED Gold project in conjunction with a multidisciplinary lab that included biomedical and engineering research, lead the design team and the owner to careful consideration of site- and program-specific design strategies that result in a unique, efficient and inspiring facility. The presentation will review in detail one of these strategies and compare the predicted results of the BIM simulation to post construction data collected in the building. Strategies to be detailed include: 1) daylighting studied for effectiveness and the desire to maximize views to the site in open lab spaces. Included in this discussion is a new approach to the design of these spaces, as well as discussion of the new role business collaboration can have in the research institution.

Biographies:

Joshua is a Project Manager at Lord, Aeck & Sargent and has many years of experience coordinating large, multi-faceted consultant teams focused on sustainable design. During his career he has managed a broad spectrum of projects, ranging from large biomedical technology buildings for major universities to interpretive and education centers for the National Park Service. He has worked extensively on projects involving challenging sustainable criteria, including net zero water and net zero energy projects. Joshua received his Master of Architecture from Arizona State University and his bachelor's degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

Ben is a BIM Specialist and Architectural Designer at Lord, Aeck & Sargent and has experience on a wide variety of complex architecture and engineering projects. Ben specializes in using BIM platforms and various 3D modeling programs to design buildings in a more efficient and environmentally responsible way. Ben received his Bachelor's degree in Architecture from Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Michigan.

 

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