Passive-Aggressive: A Practical Approach to Natural Ventilation in Laboratory Buildings

Christopher Baylow, AIA, Payette
Jacob Knowles, Bard, Rao + Athanas Consulting Engineers, LLC (BR+A)

Natural ventilation has been making headlines as a central strategy in sustainable buildings throughout Europe and is becoming more prevalent within the United States. Designs that incorporate natural ventilation often reduce first costs, save energy, and improve the quality of the work or learning environment. This approach to climate-responsive design can allow spaces such as classrooms, offices, and common areas to operate without mechanical ventilation or conditioning during extended periods. Although typically overlooked, thoughtful design of laboratory buildings can allow spaces such as these to take full advantage of natural ventilation, while maintaining a controlled and healthy research environment.

By addressing each phase of feasibility, planning, design, construction, and operation, the presenters will walk the attendees through the entire decision-making process, enabling them to come away with a comprehensive understanding and framework of the principles of natural ventilation. This presentation will provide audience members with a roadmap for navigating the issues related to implementing natural ventilation in laboratory buildings.

  • First, the speakers will explore what natural ventilation is, discussing applicable ASHRAE standards and engineering principles.
  • Next, the speakers will discuss basic strategies for approaching the topic in laboratory buildings through the use of project examples.
  • Then, the speakers will look at the applicability and feasibility of implementing natural ventilation in laboratory buildings and discuss some of the strategic questions that need to be answered when making a go/no-go decision for a particular project through the lens of the "4 C's":
  1. Containment - Maintenance of a safe, appropriately controlled laboratory environment.
  2. Cost - First-cost and operational savings from reduced energy consumption and maintenance.
  3. Carbon - Reduce the global warming impact of the building.
  4. Comfort - Connection to the outdoors, fresh air in the work environment, and increased individual control over thermal comfort.
  • A discussion on the implementation will follow, providing an overview of the key issues related to construction documentation and construction of naturally ventilated laboratory buildings.
  • Finally, we'll talk about the operation and maintenance needs of these facilities and how building occupants can become informed and empowered.

Attendees will leave with the ability to communicate the merits of natural ventilation to their constituents, participate in the decision making and design process, and support optimal operation of natural ventilation in laboratory buildings.

Biographies:

Christopher Baylow joined Payette in 1988, was promoted to associate in 1999, and to associate principal in 2000. Mr. Baylow's professional concentration has been on academic science and healthcare facilities. Mr. Baylow is a member of the Research and Innovation Group and chair of the School of Architecture Recruiting Program at Payette and has been a faculty member and thesis critic at the Boston Architectural Center. Mr. Baylow was a grant reviewer for the Recovery Act's Extramural Research Facilities Improvement Program (C06) administered by the National Institutes of Health in 2010. Mr. Baylor received his Bachelor of Architecture from Syracuse University in 1988.

Jacob Knowles is the senior sustainability consultant at Bard, Rao + Athanas Consulting Engineers, LLC. Mr. Knowles has ten years of experience managing the sustainability and energy efficiency agenda for mixed-use, industrial, research, and healthcare projects. With a background in architecture and experience with building simulation, Mr. Knowles' work focuses on the integration of passive and active systems to reduce the operating cost and carbon footprint of the built environment, while maximizing occupant wellbeing. Mr. Knowles' work has supported achievement of LEED® Gold and Platinum certifications, as well as such grants as the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources High Performance Buildings Grant. Mr. Knowles has presented at numerous engagements, including the Massachusetts and Connecticut Building Congress and Build Boston.