Sustainable Strategies for Complex Laboratories in a Challenging Climate: USTAR Case Study, Design Versus Construction

Joshua Gassman, LEED® AP, Lord Aeck Sargent
Ted McAleer, USTAR

The Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building-USTAR (SMBB) is a 210,000-gross-square-foot 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). These core facilities will build upon the strength of the University's science, engineering, and medical programs that have resulted in more than 80 start-up companies in the past four years through a unique idea of commercialization process that will be enhanced with the design characteristics of the new USTAR building. These state-of-the-art facilities will create unique opportunities for scientific innovation and synergies between biomedical and engineering science research and commercialization efforts.

The SMBB design was completed by Lord Aeck & Sargent in early 2010 and will be under construction during the conference. It is the intent that this presentation be given in two parts, one this year looking at the projected results from building information modeling (BIM) studies and energy modeling, and another presentation post construction, likely in 2012, to follow up on the actual data as compared to the projected data.

The SMBB design was a direct response to the arid climate and program requirements for the project. The call for a LEED Gold project—with pursuit of many of the environmental performance criteria (EPC) credits as well—in conjunction with a multidisciplinary laboratory that includes biomedical and engineering research, lead the design team and the owner to carefully consider the site and program-specific design strategies that result in a unique, efficient, and inspiring facility. The presentation will review in detail two of these strategies from the design team and the owner's perspective, including projected design and economic data. Strategies to be detailed include:

  • The use of energy recovery and evaporative cooling on both the intake and exhaust as a primary energy savings strategy, including sub metering to track different sources of energy use.
  • Daylighting studied for effectiveness and the desire to maximize views to the site (desirable views of 360 degrees) in open laboratory spaces.

Included in this discussion will be 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 Gassman, RA and LEED AP, is a licensed architect and a LEED Accredited Professional with broad experience in the design of complex laboratory, educational, and performing arts facilities. He has a depth of knowledge of the USGBC's LEED Rating System and has been involved in the design of numerous LEED certified building, ranging from Certified to Gold levels. Mr. Gassman received his Masters of Architecture from Arizona State University and his bachelor's degree from Washington University. Mr. Gassman currently works for Lord, Aeck & Sargent, Inc.

Ted McAleer, prior to USTAR, was the director of business development for the University of Utah's Technology Venture Development organization. Mr. McAleer has 20 years of experience in technology innovation, business development, and product services and operations management in both start-up and mature corporations. He has been chief operating officer for Teleoptic Digital Imaging, LLC and the senior director of implementation services at Campus Pipeline, Inc. He has also worked for SunGard SCT, Procter and Gamble, PepsiCo., and the U.S. Army. He holds a Masters of Business Administratrion from Harvard Business School, a Masters of Engineering from the University of Virginia, and a Bachelor of Science in engineering management from the United States Military Academy at West Point.