Being Proactive About Energy Management: A Case Study of Eli Lilly Buildings 48 and 98
Stan Lengerich, Eli Lilly and Company
Ron Petersen, CPP, Inc.
Typical research laboratories are energy-intensive structures, requiring five to 10 times more energy than an office building. The challenge for professionals everywhere is to design and build the new generation of laboratory buildings with sustainable practices in mind. The quest for energy savings becomes even more challenging when the building in question is an existing facility. The team in charge of the project no longer has the ability to modify the design based on energy efficiency considerations; the team must work with a given design and renew it in a practical and effective manner. More often than not, the renewal of the building systems is accompanied by a renewal of practices and habits. Eli Lilly has undertaken this significant challenge in the case of Buildings 48 and 98 in line with the company's commitment to safety and sustainability.
As part of the evaluation process, CPP was retained to conduct a wind tunnel assessment of the manifolded exhaust systems proposed to replace individual fume hood exhausts on the study buildings. Manifolded exhausts present several benefits, including reduced energy costs, increased fume dilution, reduced stack height requirements, enhanced personnel safety, improved design flexibility over time, and more.
Through wind tunnel testing of the proposed manifolded design, minimum operating conditions meeting the air quality criteria were determined. The parameters were evaluated for two stack heights, therefore providing two energy saving options. Implementation of the proposed design has the potential to realize significant energy savings. The presenters will summarize the conclusions of the study and discuss implications, challenges, and next steps.
Biographies:
Stan Lengerich is a certified industrial hygienist and an engineering consultant with the Eli Lilly and Company Engineering Technology Center. He brings more than 20 years of experience to his role of providing engineering consulting to research, development, and manufacturing laboratories. Mr. Lengerich's primary focus at Lilly is the design, delivery, and operation of laboratory containment and ventilation systems. Mr. Lengerich is a voting member of the ASHRAE 110 and ANSI Z9.5 laboratory standards committees, and was recently the lead author for the Labs21 “Best Practice Guideline” for “Commissioning Ventilated Containment Systems in the Laboratory.”