Spotlight on Laboratory Lighting—Modern Research Facility Illumination and Control Shifts from Back of House to Center Stage
Gary Shamshoian, P.E., Genentech Roche
Lily Rasovsky, P.E., exp.
Laboratory lighting used to be simple and include just lighting fixtures and switches; anyone could design it and most of us did. However, after-occupancy surveys commonly include lighting and lighting control concerns, including lighting that is too dark or too bright and too many or not enough lighting controls. Maybe laboratory lighting is not all that simple, given the new lamps, ballasts, fixtures, and controls that must be applied carefully in modern laboratory designs. Careful considerations of the kind of science, owner preferences, budgetary constraints, and sustainability concerns are crucial for project success.
During the presentation, the speakers will give a historical tour of typical laboratory lighting including classic 2x4 lensed and parabolic fixtures, or 1x4 fixtures located at every side of the bench. Traditionally, all of the lighting was controlled by single or sometimes double switches. Some laboratories had sophisticated lighting control that was never utilized so lights were left blazing all night long. The speakers will present different options that are available in modern lighting and lighting controls for research and development buildings, such as newer recessed direct-indirect lighting fixtures with better than 85 percent efficiency, T5HO and third generation T8 lamps driven by program-start dimmable or bi-level ballasts, light emitting diode (LED) lighting for under-cabinet and general illumination, utilization of Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) for lighting controls, and interfacing with building management systems.
The speakers will also explore a sustainability-driven design philosophy evolution from 100 foot-candles (fc) (1.2 watts per square foot) design guidelines to 50 fc (0.6 watts per square foot) in laboratories and laboratory support spaces, offices, and conference rooms. The speakers will discuss new trends in lighting and lighting controls that could be applicable to future research and development facilities, including creating net-zero zones that allow lighting for some areas (common spaces, atria, etc.) to be supplied via photovoltaic panels, providing centralized control for all LED lighting, and creating adaptable, easy to maintain lighting controls that provide occupancy control to lighting, HVAC, and other equipment. Smart buildings with adaptive controls and integrated solutions that improve facility flexibility while potentially reducing capital and operating costs will serve as options for future design considerations.
Biographies:
Gary Shamshoian, is a senior mechanical engineer for Genentech/Roche. Mr. Shamshoian's passion is sustainability, minimizing demand, using passive systems, optimizing active systems, and reducing waste while delivering innovative and cost-effective solutions. Mr. Shamshoian has played a key role in the reduction of Genentech's south San Francisco campus carbon footprint by approximately 25 percent over the last few years.
Lily Rasovsky, is the electrical principal for exp.'s San Francisco office. Ms. Rasovsky has more than 35 years of project management, electrical and lighting engineering, and design experience in the life sciences, pharmaceutical, and medical research industries. Ms. Rasovsky has many years of experience delivering projects, while providing engineering design with the constructability perspective of a builder and the maintainability perspective of a facility manger.