Smithsonian builds greenest lab yet

Categories | Equipment and Supplies | Containment | Sustainability |

The project will seek gold-level LEED certification by the US Green Building Council
Picture courtesy of EwingCole

In the US, a US$45m federal grant to the Smithsonian Institution will enable the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Edgewater, MD, on the Chesapeake Bay, to build what is expected to be one of the most energy efficient labs in the US.

Creating a more sustainable laboratory, especially one with chemistry research, where fume hoods can consume up to three times more energy than an average home, presents a challenge. The expanded and remodelled Mathias Laboratory will reduce its environmental impact on all fronts, from where it gets its power to where it gets its materials.

Analysts estimate it will consume at least 37% less energy, and emit 37% less CO₂ than a similar building that meets baseline LEED certification standards.

Besides leaving a less intense carbon footprint, the new building will enhance SERC’s capacity for cutting-edge environmental research. SERC scientists specialise in a multitude of disciplines, including global change, terrestrial and marine ecology, invasive species and nutrient pollution.

The groundbreaking ceremony on 6 May 2011 marked the beginning of the two-year project. Totalling 90,000ft², the new building will add 69,000ft² of labs, office and support space to 21,000ft² of remodelled existing space. A two-storey atrium will connect the old and new sections and create an area where researchers from the various departments can share ideas.

The project will seek gold-level LEED certification by the US Green Building Council, targeting the maximum gold score of 51 credits. In addition to its low-flow fume hoods for chemistry experiments, the new laboratory will include:

• An HVAC system supplied by a large geothermal well field (300 wells, 350ft deep) and high-efficiency enthalpy wheels that recover energy from exchanged air
• Roof-mounted solar panels to provide hot water
• Space for nearly 650 solar panels that will provide almost 10% of the building’s electricity
• A system and plant to reclaim, treat and reuse wastewater in toilets, gardens, fire suppression and constructed wetlands
• Storm-water management with cisterns and wetlands made up of a series of pools lined with native plants to receive runoff
• Bicycle racks and priority parking for car pools and high-efficiency vehicles, along with solar panel recharging stations for electric vehicles
• Redistributed parking across the site to decrease construction of new parking areas.

The lab will also use regional materials to prevent long-distance transportation and use only certified sustainable wood.

EwingCole of Philadelphia provided the architects and engineers for the project, with Howard Skoke as principal. The general contractor is Hensel Phelps.

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