Easy? Breezy? Natural Ventilation in a Laboratory Building? Technical Breakdown
Steve Tatge, University of Washington
Chris Flint Chatto, Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects LLP
After a half century hiatus, the building industry is again recognizing the benefits of natural ventilation; both to increase occupant comfort and connect to the natural environment, and also to reduce energy use for supplying fresh air and cooling. In many U.S. climates, natural ventilation is a common or growing practice for residential and office buildings to help them meet growing demands for reduced energy use. Laboratory buildings, on the other hand, are an exception, using enormous amounts of energy—up to 10 times that of an office building—primarily to supply fresh air and cooling.
The University of Washington, a signatory of the American College and University's President's Climate Commitment, is dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint. As part of that commitment, the university wanted to ensure that the new 160,000-square-foot Molecular Engineering Building on its Seattle campus used the least amount of energy possible. Given the mild climate of the Puget Sound region, investigating and implementing natural ventilation made sense.
Applying natural ventilation strategies in a laboratory building involved a number of technical and design difficulties. Due to stringent safety codes and standards for laboratories, natural ventilation was not possible for the actual research laboratories, though the university was convinced that safety standards could be met and energy saved by reducing the required supply air changes in these spaces.
Instead, natural ventilation was applied for the offices and public spaces. Because of researchers' desire to pair office spaces with laboratories, typical cross ventilation was not possible. The design team met this challenge with a highly collaborative approach yielding precise ventilation stack placement, aggressive heat gain reductions, and carefully considered window openings and connections between laboratory and office spaces. Solar, wind, and mechanical fans were all investigated to quantify their role in supporting air flow through the space. The possibility of negative air pressure drawing pollutants from the laboratory into the office also had to be considered. These efforts demonstrate a commitment to the Labs21 philosophy through the “pursuit of sustainable, high-performance, and low-energy” laboratories.
This presentation will illustrate how natural ventilation can work in a highly challenging environment through careful design and rigorous analysis. Hopefully, successful pioneering of this design strategy at the University of Washington will set the precedent for natural ventilation in new construction and renovation projects on the campus now and in the future.
Biographies:
Steve Tatge, LEED® AP, is an architect and senior project manager for the University of Washington's Capital Projects Office. He is currently managing more than $190 million in projects on the Seattle campus, including the new PACCAR Hall for the Foster School of Business, the renovation of the historic Clark Hall, and the new Molecular Engineering Building for the College of Engineering. Prior to joining the university in 2004, Mr. Tatge directed the quality control program for the Seattle office of Walsh Construction and managed various capital projects in Washington and Rhode Island for Immunex, the former Seattle biotechnology firm. He was the senior associate for the Miller/Hull Partnership, the 2003 AIA Firm of the Year, and managed several local and regional AIA award-winning projects during his 11 years with the firm, including the Bainbridge Island City Hall, Discovery Park Visitor Center, and Garfield Community Center. Mr. Tatge attended the Master of Architecture program at the University of Washington and has a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Knox College.
Chris Flint Chatto, Associate AIA, LEED AP, is a sustainability specialist at Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects LLP. With a depth of expertise on large projects for both public and private sector clients, Mr. Flint Chatto focuses on optimizing building efficiencies through energy and daylighting studies in early project development and on tracking those building efficiencies in completed projects. Specializing in energy use and environmental studies, he is responsible for researching and facilitating the design of efficient and healthy buildings through the innovative use of materials, technology, and design techniques, the results of which have been presented at numerous conferences, lectures, and seminars throughout the country. He has led numerous project teams through the eco-charrette process, translating technical performance goals into tangible strategies. He was founding chair of the Seattle Emerging Green Builders and is active on educational and advocacy issues for the Seattle AIA Committee on the Environment. His most recent laboratory projects include the University of Minnesota Physics and Nanotechnology Building; the University of Washington Molecular Engineering Building; and The University of Texas at Arlington, Engineering Science and Research Building. Mr. Flint Chatto earned a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Oregon, a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania; and a Bachelor of Arts degree in literature from the University of Pennsylvania.