The importance of BIM and Efficient Laboratory Systems at the OUS/OHSU Collaborative Life Sciences Building and Skourtes Tower

John McMichael, Interface Engineering
Wade Snyder, JE Dunn Construction

The Oregon University System and Oregon Health & Science University are partners in the Collaborative Life Sciences Building (CLSB), a new allied health, academic and research building. CLSB encompasses academic classrooms, teaching laboratories, clinical skills and simulation laboratories, medical research laboratories, retail, and two levels of underground parking. The connected Skourtes Tower houses a School of Dentistry Clinical training, clinics, and research spaces. The two buildings together comprise 652,500SF constructed with a budget of $250 M. The multi-use research and educational facility is sustainable in design, construction, and operations and is tracking LEED Platinum. The project is an innovative model of interdisciplinary health sciences education, research and education.

Sustainable design strategies include transformation of an existing brownfield, high access to public transit, stormwater management, eco-roofs, non-potable water for toilet flushing, and energy use 30% below code through strategies such as airside heat recovery, low flow fume hoods, reduction in air change rates during unoccupied hours, and utilization of a heat recovery chiller. In addition, innovative material re-use includes salvaging oil drilling pipes for foundation piles and repurposing existing site fencing.

Design and construction of CLSB presented many challenges and opportunities. The fast schedule, multiple owners and user groups, constrained budget, complexity of systems, and sustainability goals were crucial elements which shaped the design and construction process. The following outlines how the project team met some of the challenging demands of the project.

Building Information Modeling (BIM)

  • By modeling MEP systems during the design, we reduced floor to floor height to 15'-0' for research floors and 13'-6' on the School of Dentistry floors.
  • Inserting project hangers and sleeves directly from a BIM model to a digital total station for layout in the field was paramount in the success of the project and saved over $1M.

Design and Construction Schedule

  • Started driving piles 6 months after NTP on the design phase.
  • Design of each floor 'locked down' on a weekly basis as contractor moved up through the building pouring slabs and inserting hangers.
  • Constrained site and schedule required off site fabrication of 20ft sections of pre-assembled pipe racks
  • Over 26 miles of pipe in the building due to unique plumbing systems: dental vacuum, dental air, medical air, WAGD, lab air, lab vacuum, nitrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, carbon dioxide, argon, etc. Unique energy savings measures: terminal unit heating water coils in series with AHU coils to reduce pipe sizes, et al.

Learning Objectives

  • Attendees will be able to identify ways in which BIM can be used to increase coordination and reduce construction cost when used collaboratively between the design and construction teams on highly technical laboratory projects.
  • Participants will be able to distinguish how energy efficiency is of paramount importance in modern laboratory design and construction. Energy conservation measures implemented at the OUS/OHSU Collaborative Life Sciences Building and Skourtes Tower will be discussed. Attendees will be able to apply these measures to their future projects.
  • Attendees will be able to analyze several cost and time savings methods that can be successfully employed during the construction of a fast-tracked sustainable laboratory building.

Biographies:

John McMichael has been with Interface Engineering since 1982. His commitment to innovative mechanical design and diverse 30+ years of experience allow him to create engineering solutions that achieve significant energy, water, and monetary savings for clients and owners.  His projects have included leading-edge technologies for laboratories, and complex, fast-tracked sustainable projects. John was recognized as Engineer of the Year by the BetterBricks Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance in 2012.

Wade Snyder, LEED AP BD+C, is MEP Manager for JE Dunn Construction, one of the nation's largest general contractors. Wade has nearly 30 years of experience with energy efficiency analysis, mechanical and electrical systems, value engineering, and sustainable building strategies. He works on complex, fast-tracked projects. Wade works with project teams to achieve the best value in both the initial and life cycle costs for MEP systems.

 

Note: I2SL did not edit or revise abstract or biography text. Abstracts and biographies are displayed as submitted by the author(s).