Results in the Application of Chilled Beams to Laboratory Design

Dean J. Eriksen, LEED® AP, Affiliated Engineers, Inc.
Bruce McLay, LEED AP, Affiliated Engineers, Inc.

This session will revisit the presenters' 2006 Labs21 presentation of the trailblazing laboratory application of energy efficiency-optimizing chilled beam technology in the second phase the University of Washington School of Medicine's South Lake Union campus (UWSOM-II). Those laboratories have now been operational for 18 months. We will discuss the performance data results.

AEI provided mechanical, electrical, piping, and information technology engineering design services for both Phase I and Phase II of UWSOM, located at the center of the biotechnology and medical research hub in Seattle's South Lake Union area. UWSOM-II consists of an administrative/computation building and a laboratory building containing an installation of more than 6,000 linear feet of chilled beams. Meanwhile, UWSOM-I (operational since 2005) consists of comparable laboratory spaces that, by contrast, are served by a conventional variable air volume (VAV) HVAC system. The juxtaposition occasions nearly ideal circumstances for functional comparison.

UWSOM-II benefits from numerous sustainable features, the chilled beams providing a means of saving significant energy while maintaining the functional criteria of a Biosafety Level 2 laboratory. This presentation will address the actual value of energy savings and occupant satisfaction of the built laboratory. The presentation will also compare the following attributes of the UWSOM-II and UWSOM-I buildings:

  • Functional Program: While phases I and II share many common program elements, there are slight differences that need to be qualified.
  • Energy Performance: The new laboratory building in Phase II contains chilled beams, high-efficiency water boilers, and reduced minimum ventilation requirements. This presentation will compare the measured energy performance of the lab building in Phase II against that of Phase I.
  • Occupant Comfort: The University of Washington has conducted a post-occupancy evaluation of both Phase I and the new Phase II. We will present the findings for this survey.

Biographies:

Dean J. Eriksen, a member of the Electric League of the Pacific Northwest, is a principal and project manager at Affiliated Engineers, Inc. With 26 years of electrical engineering and project management experience, Mr. Eriksen has been involved in all phases of facilities projects, including conceptual design, construction cost estimates, construction document development, scheduling, and construction supervision.

Mr. Eriksen played an integral role in the design of the University of Washington's School of Medicine, Lake Union Satellite Campus Phases I and II projects. Facilities for both phases contain biomedical research laboratories and related support space. The Phase II building contains one of the largest installations of chilled beams in the world. Mr. Eriksen is currently leading the design effort for Phase III of this project, which will be comprised of three buildings containing Biosafety Level 3 laboratory space, office space, and a vivarium.

Mr. Eriksen is also currently the project manager on the University of Washington Molecular Engineering Building, where his extensive laboratory experience and innovative design approach has aided in identifying opportunities in the fume hood- and biosafety cabinet-intensive laboratory building to meet project goals for LEED Silver certification. Additionally, Mr. Eriksen leads many of the firm’s largest institutional, research and development, and commercial projects.

Mr. Eriksen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois.

Bruce McLay has served as a mechanical project engineer and a project manager at Affiliated Engineers, Inc. on a number of our most technically complex facilities. His experience, spanning both new construction and renovation, includes HVAC systems design, central heating and cooling plants, utility distribution, energy management controls, and airside designs.

Mr. McLay has extensive research facility experience encompassing both basic and applied research, animal holding, containment, and the design for requisite support utilities. His experience includes mechanical design with laminar flow, close control of humidity and temperature, supply and exhaust filtering, and special attention to air pressure balance and control.

Mr. McLay has served as a lead engineer for projects at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Amgen Corporation, Chiron Corporation, and Genentech.

Mr. McLay is a member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers, and the Association of Energy Engineers. He holds a Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Colorado State University.