The East End Transformation of the Danforth Campus furthers the university’s mission and values, setting the course for the next era of academic excellence, service to society and sustainable laboratory design. This exciting tour of the university’s east end will give attendees an overview of Washington University’s sustainable design initiatives and will include three state-of-the-art lab buildings: Brauer Hall—Energy, Environment and Chemical Engineering (LEED Gold); Whitaker Hall—Biomedical Engineering (LEED Gold); and Jubel Hall—Mechanical Engineering and Material Sciences (LEED Platinum). A reception in Weil Hall’s (LEED Platinum) Kuehner Court, featuring a 2-story green wall, will follow the tour. 

 

All new buildings on the East End have achieved either LEED Platinum or LEED Gold certification, and include highly reflective white roofs to minimize heat gain, as well as solar photovoltaic arrays to generate renewable electricity. High-efficiency heat recovery chillers, combined with a low temperature hot water district loop harvest waste heat for much of the heating needs, significantly reducing natural gas usage. The lab buildings feature variable volume fume hoods and exhaust air heat recovery. 

 

Brauer Hall underwent retro-commissioning in 2016 that included detailed air balancing of individual labs and reduced energy costs by $64,000 annually. To further drive energy and carbon savings, WashU uses data analytics to identify fume hoods that are left open and engages with occupants to address behavior-driven inefficiencies. In Jubel Hall, mechanical engineers work closely with physicists, chemists, biologists, and chemical and biomedical engineers to promote the convergence of mechanics, materials science, and nanotechnology. The Spartan Makerspace activates the ground floor, hosting new and experienced makers who bring innovative ideas to life in a collaborative and multidisciplinary environment.

 

The space between these laboratory buildings is a dynamic, car-free park above an underground garage capped with a green roof. Tisch Park’s landscape design features rain gardens with bio-retention, a cistern, a major stormwater detention basin, native plantings, and a diverse tree canopy. Low-carbon transportation is encouraged with a bike commuter facility which includes showers and lockers, electric vehicle charging stations, and a network of bicycle and pedestrian pathways to link campus to Forest Park and regional greenways.