Dedicated to advancing sustainable laboratories globally.
10:30 am - 12:00 pm CDT
I1: Energy Efficiency Strategies
System Optimization
Turn Up for Fan Turndown!
Laboratory exhaust fans can consume excessive energy when not optimized for efficient operation. There is an opportunity for major energy savings by operating lab fan systems at reduced flow. However, these systems are in place to ensure the health, safety, and comfort of lab workers and occupants of nearby spaces. How can fan turndown be safely achieved?
This presentation will describe the methodology for safe turndown of lab fans. This includes identification of candidate lab buildings, initial assessment of installed equipment for existing labs (or planned equipment for future labs), exhaust plume dispersion modeling by desktop numerical analysis or physical wind tunnel testing, and onsite testing and commissioning of installed fan systems. Two approaches will be discussed: wind-responsive turndown with a local wind sensor, and simple turndown. Challenges and successes in implementing fan turndown on science campuses will be described, with specific examples from recent projects completed by CPP.
Updating Early VAV Laboratories
Our community is now in the fourth or fifth decade of VAV for laboratories and fume hoods. We have a lot of installed systems ripe for an update. We have great opportunities to improve on systems that might have been state-of-the-art when they were built. A lot has changed: new approaches to evaluating required air flow; sensors with better specifications; huge advances in the communication technology that connects devices; better processes for testing and evaluating engineering controls; and greater environmental awareness in the laboratory staff.
Hidden among those opportunities, we find unanticipated “gotchas.” Examples include existing air terminals too big for the intended lower air flows, undocumented changes made over the years, current use of the space different from the original design, and more. This talk explores both, with an emphasis on executed renovations.
Parametric Evaluation of Relative Value of Energy Efficiency Strategies in Laboratories
Many guides make recommendations regarding energy efficiency strategies and applying benchmarking on lab buildings. But few guides provide quantifiable impacts of these strategies, especially for multiple variables. It is challenging to decide the value of or goals for energy efficiency strategies for a specific project without detailed energy modeling. Because of the diversity of variables affecting lab energy efficiency, it is hard to make clear comparisons and establish the value of individual and collective strategies. What's good for a chemistry lab in Baltimore may not make any sense for a biology lab in San Francisco.
This presentation will summarize the results of parametric modeling of about 10 primary variables affecting laboratory energy use. Using a combination of hourly modeling and operational dynamics and diversities for occupancy, hood use, and plug loads based on spreadsheet modeling, the analysis will compare the relative effects of compound strategies based on multiple variables.
The comparison will use a range of options for the following parameters: location/weather, lab type, fume hood types, fume hood density, ventilation rates, lab occupancy patterns, plug load densities, diversities in lab usage and plug load, HVAC equipment strategies and differences in HVAC equipment performance. Based on this analysis, owners will be better informed to understand the relative value of selected strategies for their type of building and their region or location.
I2: Smart Labs and Energy Management Info Systems
Green Labs
Saving Energy and Improving Safety Through Integrated Management of Laboratory Ventilation Systems
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) will present an update on their approach to Smart Labs, an integrated laboratory ventilation management program that is managed jointly by Sustainable Berkeley Lab and LBNL’s Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Division. LBNL previously presented their Smart Labs program at the 2019 I2SL conference and as a I2SL High-Tech Talk.
LBNL’s integrated laboratory ventilation management program relies heavily on an in-house ongoing commissioning (OCx) team that follows a rigorous process to identify, fix, and commission building operational issues that affect energy use. As part of the program, LBNL has developed sophisticated data analytics, based on Skyspark, that provide unprecedented visibility into ventilation system issues that affect safety such as zone ventilation airflow, zone pressurization, fume hood face velocity, exhaust airflow, and building-level supply and exhaust air systems, and facilitate ongoing commissioning through “safety sparks” and other alerts.
This integrated Smart Labs program has resulted in increased visibility of lab systems, increased safety, and significant energy savings in 17 lab buildings, with up to one-third of total energy savings and 50 percent natural gas savings in individual buildings, without any major renovations or retrofits.
Energy Savings Detective Work Using EMIS
Laboratory buildings and research campuses present complex operational challenges. Operational issues can be difficult to detect, identify, and correct. Effective use of trend data and analytics tools provided by an Energy Management Information System (EMIS), such as SkySpark, can help operators and engineers resolve operational issues more effectively and with significantly less time and effort than a traditional troubleshooting processes. This is true even when the operational issues are unique or highly complex and therefore are not easily discovered with automated rule-based fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) techniques. In this session, we present several real-world examples of using EMIS data and analytics tools interactively to investigate and correct significant operational issues in laboratory facilities and the central utility plant at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s South Table Mountain campus in Golden, Colorado. Correcting the issues presented in these case studies improved operational performance across the campus and has generated an estimated $200,000 annually in energy cost savings.
Balancing Growth and Sustainability: Achieving More Research Space With a Net-Zero Energy Increase Mandate
Carleton College’s three-building Integrate Science Complex posed a challenge for the college’s future research needs with growing demands on laboratory space and fume hoods. Additionally, Carleton College had a tight energy budget mandated by infrastructure and utilities capacities.
Melissa Burns and Justin Shultz of Page Southerland Page completed a sustainable laboratory expansion at Carleton College. With myriad challenges, from infrastructure limitations to energy efficiency mandates, this presentation serves as a practical guide, offering insights into overcoming these sustainable hurdles through strategic planning and innovative solutions.
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Understanding Different Programs and Growth Projections
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Balancing New vs. Old Challenges in Basic Systems
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Addressing High-Performance Challenges
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Achieving Net Zero Energy Increase with Geothermal Solutions
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Performance Optimization and Iterative Design
Carleton College's journey exemplifies the importance of holistic planning, sustainable collaboration, and stakeholder engagement in achieving sustainable expansion. By following this outline, institutions can navigate the complexities of infrastructure limitations and energy efficiency mandates to realize their carbon neutrality goals while still fostering campus growth and innovation.
I3: Holistic Design Case Studies
Sustainable Design
Linkages: Designing a High-Performance Research Hub
One Milestone is a forward-thinking research hub that consists of two lab buildings and a publicly accessible ground floor. As a part of the Enterprise Research Campus development, a Harvard University-owned land parcel in Allston, Massachusetts, One Milestone will significantly enhance the life sciences development in this region.
Henning Larsen and BR+A will guide you through the design journey of One Milestone East, sharing challenges faced and the solutions devised to integrate sustainable building systems prioritizing energy efficiency, occupant comfort, and environmental responsibility.
Explore the holistic approach taken towards building systems design, where BR+A's expertise has been instrumental in implementing cutting-edge technologies and strategies aimed at decarbonization and reducing environmental impact. Learn how the building’s landscaped terraces, high-performance enclosure system, and the use of sustainable materials enhance its environmental footprint and user well-being.
Join us as we explore sustainable architecture and building systems at One Milestone, showcasing how collaborative efforts are driving environmentally conscious design in the life sciences industry.
The Lab Oasis: Elevating Wellness in Modern S+T Spaces
Traditional laboratory spaces have long focused on technical functionality—workbenches, safety protocols, and equipment. However, what often gets overlooked are the elements that directly impact researchers’ well-being. Indoor plants, natural light, access to outdoor views, and spaces for meditation or recreation are essential for creating a holistic and productive work environment. In this abstract, we explore how lab design can shift from merely accommodating tasks to actively promoting health and wellness. Workers in lab spaces often work extended and irregular hours, which can take a toll on their physical and mental health. Rather than contributing to their well-being, lab spaces sometimes exacerbate stress, fatigue, and health issues. Our goal is to reimagine lab design, emphasizing elements that support healthy lifestyles and enhance cognitive function. We will cover ideas for setting health and wellness goals for lab buildings, what types of health and wellness strategies integrate well into lab spaces, and what rating systems (like WELL and Fitwel) can be used as guidance. Some strategies we will look at include daylight integration, restorative amenities, biophilic design, art and placemaking, and physical activity opportunities. We will also showcase a few project examples that have successfully implemented some of these strategies.
The McGill New Vic Project, From Healing People to Healing the Planet: A Transformative Multi-Disciplinary Research Centre Focused on Sustainability
To tackle one of the world’s most intractable issues, Sustainability, McGill University envisions a new type of research facility that connects disciplines from across the arts and sciences. By allowing science and public policy to co-exist, the ambition is to link scientific discovery with policy implementation. The facility is a living lab that removes traditional academic barriers and provides the framework for research based on activity rather than academic department. This collaborative talk will cover the evolution of the design concept for activity-based labs, that are designed to provide robust day one capacity, as well as future growth. Sustainable strategies for the lab design as well as the broader sustainable design strategies will be discussed, including the TCO of sustainable design options for strategic decision making, heat recovery, diversity and designing for more generic setups, as well as the building’s energy efficiency targets. The presentation will include design architects and the lead mechanical engineer. Outside the lab, the New Vic will support learning everywhere, through the integration of collaborative formal and informal spaces for interaction and knowledge sharing. Through this, pavilions of the former Royal Victoria hospital are transformed from a former site for medical healing to an intellectual and research site focused on healing the planet.
I4: Decarbonization in Challenging Environments
Decarbonization
Integrated Design for Low-Moisture Environments
Today’s battery and various solar programs require dry or low moisture environments to maintain the integrity of the product and testing results. The mechanical systems generating these low moisture environments can often be large and energy-intensive.
With the push in recent years towards the decarbonization and electrification of buildings, these low-moisture environments when deployed in an electrified building can have a large electrical footprint. The hot, moisture-laden exhaust from these mechanical units, a potential heat recovery resource, often goes unrealized. Low-moisture spaces also have the added complication of needing humidification during certain times of the year.
This session discusses the challenges with low-moisture environments, along with the systems that support them. It also highlights opportunities to reduce their impact on electrified buildings and how best to recover waste heat, which is most often lost.
Charting a Course to Decarbonize and Electrify Lab Humidification
As the industry trends towards electrification of lab heating loads via heat pumps, the focus shifts toward electrification and decarbonization of other essential lab loads that historically utilized fossil fuels in order to fully eliminate lab Scope 1 emissions. Maintaining minimum lab space relative humidity in winter, particularly in high ventilation labs in cold climates, requires significant energy. We can find strategic lessons in the successful electrification of lab heating loads for the best ways to electrify these humidification loads.
This presentation will share the results of an analysis of multiple electrified humidification technologies, comparing their operation in different climates and with different grid energy mixes. Electrification of lab humidification can easily result in higher GHG emissions if not done properly, but with the right analysis it's possible to balance costs, space, maintenance, and decarbonization goals.
Beyond Cat Videos: Unveiling the Embodied Carbon in MEP Systems of Data Centres
As scientific research increasingly relies on analyzing large datasets, simulating complex models and using artificial intelligence to predict outcomes, there is a growing demand for digital infrastructure such as computer labs and data centres.
Data centres have significant cooling requirements and is both energy and carbon intensive. While there have been extensive studies on the operational carbon of MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) systems, there is still a lack of knowledge on the life cycle analysis of MEP systems’ embodied carbon.
To understand the impact that the choice of mechanical system has on the embodied carbon of data centres over their life cycle, a hypothetical 200,000 square foot data centre in Portland, Oregon, was created to compare the embodied carbon emissions of three mechanical cooling systems: air-cooled chillers, evaporative cooling, and immersion cooling. The study compares the upfront embodied carbon emissions from MEP system against the building structure and envelope, as well as the embodied carbon from the maintenance, repairs and replacement of the MEP equipment over the building’s lifetime. The relative cost of each cooling system and embodied carbon reduction strategies will also be reviewed.
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