The Great Lakes Research Center—Energy Efficiency in a Northern Climate
Mark Hallman, P.E., LEED AP®, BD+C,
Rowan Williams Davies & Irwin, Inc. (RWDI)
George MacKellar, P.E., C.C.S., Fishbeck, Thompson,
Carr & Huber Inc. (FTC&H)
The Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC) is a new 55,000-square-foot laboratory facility dedicated to multidisciplinary fresh water research at the Michigan Technological University campus, located in Michigan's far north region. FTC&H designed GLRC to be a functional and efficient building on par with those certified as LEED® Silver. To assess how the building features might interact with the northern climate, FTC&H engaged RWDI to conduct air quality and microclimate studies for the facility.
Minimizing energy use is always a priority in building design, particularly in laboratory facilities, as laboratory spaces typically have higher heating and cooling demands than conventional buildings. To reduce energy usage and associated costs, the GLRC design utilizes natural ventilation of non-laboratory spaces in the building. Natural ventilation can be difficult to achieve where the desire is to place non-laboratory spaces in close proximity to the laboratories they support, yet the laboratories require negative pressurization to ensure safe capture of odors and exhaust. In the GLRC design, natural ventilation was accomplished through pressure control systems and mechanical assistance to the ventilation path. Additionally, laboratory spaces are situated in the center of each floor and support spaces on the perimeter, thus maximizing natural ventilation potential.
The GLRC design also utilizes heat from the campus central heating plant (CHP) in a unique and sustainable way. The design captures heat that would otherwise be exhausted from the CHP's boiler stacks using a condensing economizer. This heat, in the form of hot water, is pumped to GLRC for heating use. Provisions have also been made in the design for future reclamation of heat rejected from a data center to be located in GLRC, as well as heat recovered from the proposed laboratory exhausts.
To confirm that emissions from these laboratory exhausts and other sources would not adversely impact open windows or air intakes, a wind tunnel exhaust dispersion assessment was conducted on a physical model of GLRC and surroundings. The assessment confirmed that pollutant concentrations at sensitive locations on GLRC would not exceed recommended thresholds when windows or intakes are open to the outside elements. It was also confirmed that the high amount of snowfall received in the area would not pose significant concerns for GLRC structure or its users.
From the inside-out, GLRC will be a facility allowing for advanced research on the Great Lakes, in an environment that is comfortable, innovative, and using less energy than its counterparts.
Biographies:
Mark Hallman is a project engineer providing exhaust dispersion consulting services with RWDI. Mr. Hallman has provided consulting services on exhaust and intake designs for a variety of new and existing facilities in the university laboratory and healthcare sectors, including GLRC at Michigan Technological University.
When consulting on projects, Mr. Hallman looks to provide advice on exhaust designs that can maximize energy efficiency without compromising the safety or comfort of building occupants.
Mr. Hallman is a registered professional engineer in the Province of Ontario and is a LEED AP (Building Design and Construction).
George MacKellar is the mechanical department comanager at FTC&H, a multidisciplinary consulting firm of architects, engineers, scientists, and constructors based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Mr. MacKellar obtained his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Kettering University and has worked for more than 35 years in the auto and consulting industries, with the last 22 years being at FTC&H. Mr. MacKellar directs the mechanical design at FTC&H, which includes plumbing, fire protection, HVAC, and controls design services, as well as commissioning services. Mr. MacKellar's responsibilities include development of technical standards, quality reviews, and design of select projects.
Mr. MacKellar's broad expertise includes project management and mechanical design for industrial, commercial, and educational projects. Mr. MacKellar is registered as a professional engineer in 15 states and is a certified construction specifier of the Constructions Specifications Institute.