Designing within a Historical Campus Character while Achieving LEED Platinum Certification - A Case Study Update

Matt Meyer, J. E. Dunn Construction Company
Chris Ertl, AIA, MBA, LEED AP BD+C, HDR Architecture, Inc.

The team will describe their approach to the utilization of a collaborative design process in the achievement of the University's goals and objectives for this exciting new facility. The presentation will utilize aspects from the UCB Systems Biotechnology and other flexible laboratory models to illustrate aspects of the design process utilized by the team creating a new campus standard for laboratory design. The University of Colorado's Systems Biotechnology Bldg. had several unique goals that necessitated a flexible and collaborative approach to the project. The first goal of the design team was to provide a flexible research environment that would meet the needs of undefined researchers well into the future. The second was to develop an architectural character for a new East Campus of the University that reflected the historical character of the existing campus, saying this is a University of Colorado Building. Another significant goal for the University was to have the building (an undefined research environment) achieve LEED Gold certification.

The team worked diligently with a diversity of University representatives, from physical plant shop personnel to a Noble Laureate, to achieve their goals and to push them beyond their expectations. This project has now been certified LEED Platinum. To achieve the LEED Platinum certification the Systems Biotechnology Bldg. was planned around several creative approaches to managing research spaces and minimizing energy consumption within the various functional systems of the building. From collecting recyclables to high efficiency exhaust systems every possible energy saving initiative was discussed, explored and incorporated to some extent within the design and construction of this building. The Systems Biotechnology Bldg. is designed around a socially interactive main street of research neighborhoods with faculty offices and groups of research modules accessing off this main street. Each neighborhood provides flexible, wet and dry bench research laboratory modules with adjacent support spaces for various specialized functions. The facility provides additional specialized shared support cores for such functions as NMR, Spectroscopy, Tissue Culture, etc. scattered among the research neighborhoods. Finally, the building is a teaching environment with teaching spaces, collaboration areas and social interactive spaces.

This presentation reflects the following aspects and suggested Presentation Topics:

  • New and cutting edge information and technology for innovative and sustainable facilities
  • This is a follow up study of the projects success
  • Industry Trends
  • Modular and Specialty laboratories
  • Strategies for creating the laboratory of the future

Biographies:

Matt Meyer is a senior project manager for JE Dunn Construction's Science & Tech Group in Denver, Colorado. Matt holds a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from Colorado State University and is a LEED Accredited Professional. Matt has 27 years of experience and is responsible for the planning, cost estimating, construction and commissioning of life science, laboratory and hospital facilities for entities such as the University of Colorado, Sandia National Laboratory (Albuquerque, NM), Amgen (Longmont, CO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Fort Collins, CO) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Areas of specialty include research laboratories, biotech, BSL2 and BSL3 and health care. Matt is a current member of the International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers (ISPE).

Chris has 18 years of professional experience, conducting a broad range of programming, design and project management services for complex research and teaching lab projects for academic and federal clients. He has a detailed understanding of state-of-the-art lab design concepts and their impact on building systems. Developing laboratory facilities that respond to user needs, have longevity and create an environment conducive to world-class research within budget are what he strives for in each project. He is passionate about working with scientists to understand how they perform their complex work and help them translate that into dynamic and productive work environments. He applies sound planning principles to create productive, safe, reliable, and adaptive facilities to enhance the quality of life in the laboratory. Chris advocates a multidisciplinary process that utilizes BIM to both integrate complex building systems, accommodate people and material flow safely and efficiently.

 

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