by Alan Vanags and Bill Smith
University research facilities encounter distinct challenges compared to their private counterparts. These challenges include the physical constraints of campuses with diverse, often century-old buildings and the operational complexities of accommodating cross-disciplinary science researchers.
Coupled with the rapidly evolving technology landscape, universities grapple with decisions regarding program and infrastructure to ensure long-term functionality. This article explores the engineering hurdles universities confront and offers strategies for decision-making in the context of high-performance research facilities on campus.
Start with the Energy Efficiency
Labs are significant energy consumers on campuses, and their design choices impact long-term energy usage. One crucial decision is the building envelope which, despite upfront costs, yields savings over time and reduces system requirements.
Efficiency can be further enhanced by identifying simultaneous heating and cooling loads and using centralized modular HVAC systems to efficiently transfer heat. Operating at lower heating temperatures can open up opportunities for capturing more sources of energy loss.
Reclaiming wasted energy is another important strategy. Technologies like recirculation hoods, reclaim coils, and continuous air quality sensors recover lost energy. Even heat from sanitary systems can be reused.
Research facility projects often drive holistic campus energy plans, integrating renewables like photovoltaic systems and carbon reduction methods such as geo-exchange systems and electric heat pumps.
To enhance resilience, consider local microgrids within the campus electrical distribution system.
Make the Building Manage your Resources
To avoid a protectionist decision-making process during the project design phase by research teams with disparate functions, the engineering team can bring stakeholders together and lead an honest needs assessment of programmatic resources and infrastructure systems. The goal is to foster collaboration early so the lab facility design reflects a partnership approach.
The engineer can also bring practical resource management strategies to the table. An example is efficiency upgrades such as recapture systems to clean, filter, and reuse valuable laboratory gases. Engineers can also develop monitoring and safety strategies for lab utility infrastructures. The design of central system purity levels for air and water determines what happens at the source and what happens at the user level.
Even energy efficiencies of high-performance buildings degrade over time. Mechanical and electrical systems can deviate from their initial parameters. Engineers can set up ongoing commissioning to make sure that a building manages resources as well on day 1,000 as it does on day 1.
Balance Economics with the Need for Flexibility
Private research facilities typically have a defined mission and a focus on returns, leading to short-term design considerations. In contrast, universities operate under a different economic model, relying on various funding sources. Their facilities are often intended to be long-lasting, “forever” buildings, which makes decision-making more complex.
The ever-evolving nature of scientific work adds pressure to ensure flexibility. While discussions often start with lofty goals of total adaptability, attempting to provide infrastructure for every future scenario can be prohibitively expensive. True adaptability involves assessing daily processes and finding ways to support reasonable adjustments or easy future enhancements. This requires close collaboration with an engineering team that understands your needs.
University research facilities play a crucial role in nurturing long-term discoveries and training future scientists. Selecting the right engineering team is vital to ensure an efficient, environmentally friendly, and versatile building that serves the university’s needs while attracting researchers, teachers, and students.
Alan Vanags, PE, LEED AP and Bill Smith, PE, LEED AP are principals with Salas O’Brien. They can be contacted at alan.vanags@salasobrien.com and bill.smith@salasobrien.com.
