Lockheed Building 245—Materials, Sciences

New construction: Lockheed Building 245—Materials and Sciences; Alfa Tech

By Source: Alpha Tech August 9, 2012

Project name: Lockheed Building 245—Materials and Sciences

Location: Palo Alto, Calif.

Firm name: Alfa Tech

Project type, building type: New construction, research/lab/high-tech

Project duration: 2 years

Project completion date: June 29, 2009

Project budget for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection engineering only: $2.5 million

Engineering challenges

One of the biggest challenges was providing flexible lab layouts, including ventilation, which could be interchanged as program requirements changed. The lab portion of the project required the utilization of 100% outside air for makeup to the lab fume hoods. So providing the required ventilation, meeting U.S. Green Building Council LEED requirements, and staying within budget proved to be challenges.

Solutions

To be responsive to changing program requirements, basic lab modules were designed, with additional utilities available in the utility corridor at all labs, which separate groups of lab modules. Each lab module was provided with independent supply and exhaust airshafts within each lab module. Variable volume lab exhaust systems were connected to fume hoods and lab general exhaust. The supply air was controlled to track the variable volume exhaust and minimize energy required to condition the outside air.