Laboratory

To meet the challenging time frame, several multi-day design charettes were used, as well as releasing multiple design packages, to allow early construction for the building structure. Shop drawing reviews were expedited and oftentimes several site observations a week were conducted to assist in the construction effort.

The 1st floor of the 41,000 square foot facility includes 7,250 square feet of chemistry labs, 3,400 square feet of Vivarium, a 2,000 square foot temperature and humidity controlled clean room for the robotic automated compound screening laboratory.

On the 2nd floor there is 11,200 square feet of biology research laboratory space, which includes tissue culture and a bio-safety Level 3 lab. The facility has 34 chemical fume hoods, and numerous biological safety cabinets and cage exhaust systems.

The M/E/P/FP systems that serve the facility are quite intense from a load density perspective; HVAC loading is 65 square feet per ton based upon an air flow of 2.4 CFM – per square foot, over 80-percent of which is outdoor air, the electrical loading for the labs exceeds 20 watts per square foot.

The building is cooled via a new 750 ton chilled water plant, with reheat provided by a natural gas boiler. In addition, there is live steam for glass washing and sterilization. Plumbing provisions include industrial hot and cold water, central vacuum, as well as specialty gasses.

Due to the research nature of the facility, reliable power is vital to operation and success of lab experiments due to several month culture process and economic investments. Unique space types, fume hoods/HVAC, equipment and server rooms were designed with UPS and backup power provided by a 1.25 megawatt generator.

Dedicated lighting controls, as well as specialized fixture filtering were utilized in the Vivarium to simulate reduced day cycles and experiment observation during simulated nighttime periods. Lighting within the laboratories was specifically coordinated with lab furniture and miscellaneous equipment to ensure no shadows were cast on the lab bench work surfaces while providing 75+ footcandles.

JLRD raised the LEED bar from Silver to Gold with the innovative M/E/P systems for this state-of-the-art laboratory research facility used by Florida Atlantic University and The University of Florida. The building includes classrooms and a tiered lecture hall with research laboratories for genetics, wetland ecology, population biology, microbial biotechnology, molecular physiology, a geomatics computational laboratory and administrative support spaces.

Early on in the design the focus was on how to minimize energy consumption and keep within the project budget. Providing two air handling units per floor allowed for separation of Class I office air from Class II laboratory air, permitting a greater percentage of the laboratory air to be recirculated, providing a win-win solution of over $135,000 in first cost savings, as well as annual energy savings of tens of thousands of dollars.

Other energy-saving strategies include using a heat amplification chiller to perform both cooling and provide hot water for reheat, the use of room occupancy sensors for control of both lighting and HVAC system, and photoelectric sensors to take advantage of natural daylighting. The control system includes hood occupancy sensors which lowers air flows where hoods are unattended, as well as a night set-back mode which reduces the laboratory air change rates when the building is unoccupied.

Being the first building on what is termed the FAU Davie West Campus, the M/E/P infrastructure was developed to support additional future buildings. The new 800-ton water-cooled chiller plant and piping was designed to accommodate a future campus load of 2,000 tons and provide redundant capacity. The electrical infrastructure to support the maximum build-out capacity was installed. Conduits to support mechanical equipment have been strategically positioned to accommodate building expansion with minimal impact to the core facility.

Echoing the project being the mechanical hub for Davie West, the 1st floor of the lab building was designed in collaboration with FAU’s IRM Department to be the telecommunications hub. A 1,400 square foot MDF has been designed with UPS and generator backup to house the voice and data equipment for the west end of the campus. A full system of telecommunications and power ductbanks and manholes have been positioned in accordance with the Davie West Master Plan to enhance connectivity of new buildings without impacting the site. Connectivity to the East campus' computer equipment room in the Liberal Arts building was accomplished via fiber OSP to ensure seamless remote computing.