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