SUSTAINABILITY BY DESIGN
Presentation Abstracts
- Keynotes
- Technical Sustainability
- Operational Sustainability
- Procurement Sustainability
- Social Sustainability
- Experimental Sustainability
- Planning and Programming Sustainability
Keynotes
What's Going on Next Door?
Philip J Wirdzek, International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories
The objective of this presentation is to share some of the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories program activities underway in the US and welcome participation and involvement of SLCan.
Since the transition of the Labs21 program to International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL), the organization became more flexible to address the needs of the laboratory and related high technology facility industry. Financially, the organization has to take on all the responsibilities that Labs21 administered when funded by the US EPA and DOE. Growth was the main objective and gaining the support of industry was key to its survival. With the volunteer efforts of so many, I2SL began to develop new tools, guides and educational workshops that the industry defined. Now in its thirteenth year, I2SL has become a stable organization serving the laboratory community. This presentation will share some of the major initiatives underway and welcome SLCan to utilize its resources.
Philip J Wirdzek, President and Executive Director, International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories A career employee of 27 years with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Philip Wirdzek began laying the foundation of the Labs21 program in the early 1990s, working as the national energy and pollution prevention coordinator for EPA's own laboratories. Later, as EPA's Labs21 program manager, Philip directed the development of all program components, including marketing and public relations, partnerships, conferences and workshops, technical support and program tools, and the Labs21 Centers of Excellence. Through his work with engineers, architects, facility managers, and technology and service providers, Philip helped bring about EPA's own renaissance to “walk the talk” and push the Agency to become the major purchaser of green power among all federal agencies. Philip was also crucial in the creation of EPA's Sustainable Facilities Practices Branch, which continues to sustain and increase the momentum imparted to the Agency through his work. For his many accomplishments at EPA, Philip has received numerous awards including the Agency's gold medal for developing the Labs21 program, the James W. Craig Pollution Prevention Leadership Award, two presidential awards for federal energy management, and the Environmental Professional of the Year award from the Association of Energy Engineers.
Next Gen Sustainable Procurement in Laboratories: Realizing the Dream through ENERGY STAR and the ACT Eco-Label
Allison Paradise, My Green Lab
The objective of this presentation is to learn about the existence of eco-labels for laboratory products and how to incorporate them into sustainable procurement guidelines.
Recent years have seen an increasing focus on sustainable procurement in universities and private companies. Yet with little information on sustainability standards for laboratory products, it has been challenging for procurement specialists and scientists alike to consider greener products in the lab. This is starting to change, however, as the recent designation of ENERGY STAR for laboratory freezers and the development of an eco-label by My Green Lab for all laboratory products (ACT) have emerged. These labels will enable organizations to meet research goals while also satisfying broader institutional goals around carbon neutrality and zero waste. Both the ENERGY STAR and ACT labels will empower strategic sourcing procurement officers and researchers to select resource-efficient products; ENERGY STAR addresses energy efficiency and complements the ACT label, which is much more holistic in its approach, much like a nutrition label for lab products. This presentation will discuss the development and use of the ENERGY STAR and ACT labels, and how to integrate them into sustainable procurement guidelines.
Allison Paradise, Executive Director, My Green Lab Allison Paradise is the Executive Director of My Green Lab, a California-based non-profit dedicated to promoting sustainability in laboratories. My Green Lab works with over two-dozen organizations in California and several organizations nationally to reduce the environmental impact of their labs through outreach programs and concrete initiatives. Allison holds degrees in neuroscience from Brown and Harvard, and before founding My Green Lab, she worked as a scientific consultant. She is the 2015 recipient of the Go Beyond Award from the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories.
Slashing Vivarium Energy Use with New CCAC Guidance on Indoor Environmental Quality Monitoring and Variable Air Volume Control
Gordon P. Sharp, Aircuity, Inc.
The objective of this presentation is to review the concept of demand based control and an enabling technology, discuss the changes proposed for the new Canadian Council on Animal Care guidelines, and provide some case study results and quantitative analyses of energy savings and first cost impacts.
The largest source of a vivarium’s energy consumption and carbon emissions is the significant use of outside air to provide high air changes per hour (ACH) dilution ventilation. In the past, a prescriptive approach to ventilation in the form of a requirement of 15 to 20 ACH was a part of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) guidelines making it difficult to significantly reduce the energy use in these facilities. However, changes are now being made to the CCAC guidelines that will allow the use of real time vivarium indoor environmental quality (IEQ) monitoring and airflow control (often called demand based control) to be applied to vivariums to allow substantial reductions in vivarium airflows when the room air is “clean”, significantly reducing energy use. In fact, demand based control has often been shown to be the single most impactful approach to reduce energy use in a vivarium and is used in many vivariums around the world. This presentation will review the concept and an enabling technology, discuss the changes proposed for the new CCAC guidelines, and provide some case study results and quantitative analyses of energy savings and first cost impacts.
Gordon P. Sharp, Chairman, Aircuity, Inc. Gordon Sharp is the chairman of Aircuity Inc. and has over 25 years of experience and over 25 patents in energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and laboratory controls. As the founder and former CEO of Phoenix Controls, he led this world leader in laboratory airflow controls that was acquired by Honeywell in 1998. In 2000, Gordon founded Aircuity out of Honeywell and is a smart airside energy efficiency company. Gordon is an MIT graduate, an ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer, and the Executive Vice President and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Institute of Sustainable Laboratories. He is also a voting member of ASHRAE Standard 170 on Healthcare Ventilation and the ANSI Standard Z9.5 on Laboratory Ventilation as well as a member of the ASHRAE TC9.10 committee on Laboratories and the TC9.11 committee on cleanrooms.
Managing Critical Environments Sustainably – A Facilities Management Perspective
Erica Brabon, Black & McDonald
The objective of this presentation is to discuss the key components of success for sustainability initiatives from the facility manager perspective along with the benefits to all stakeholders. It will focus on the importance of ongoing communication and monitoring to maintain success and what role the facilities team needs to play.
Managing the impacts of facilities containing labs and research environments requires constant collaboration and communication between the operations team and users of the facility. Critical environments must take priority; therefore a balance must be created between facility requirements and sustainability. Black & McDonald is the Facility Manager for UHN’s Princess Margaret Cancer Research Tower (PMCRT) and Krembil Discovery Tower (KDT) in Toronto, ON. Their Energy & Sustainability and operations teams work closely with the Energy & Environment Department at UHN to identify sustainability opportunities, evaluate costs and impacts of implementation and create a strategic plan for affecting change and reducing emissions through user engagement and preventative maintenance and monitoring. An important lesson we’ve learned is that creating a collaborative environment for idea sharing and feedback between the facilities team, the research staff and all other users is vital to the success of any sustainability initiative from demand control ventilation in fume hoods to removing desk-side waste bins.
This presentation will discuss the importance of communication and feedback illustrated with real project examples. There are essential steps to take in any initiative whether it is vetting a new technology, making a change in operations or a large capital improvement to ensure it meets sustainability goals while maintaining critical operational set-points and comfort requirements. The facility team is key in affecting culture change to make the shift to sustainable operations permanent.
A more sustainable lab not only benefits its stakeholders but it creates operational efficiencies and a collaborative working environment for the team. In the project examples, we will highlight the innovative waste diversion practices that resulted in higher diversions rates and reduced waste hauling and reduced maintenance time with more efficient systems. This will include a discussion on the importance of understanding and managing true costs of these initiatives to ensure savings are achieved while maintaining facility requirements. This collaborative approach has been built on trust. Our operators have a voice to bring forward ideas and opportunities for improvement. Over the years, the whole team has learned from each other which contributes to the provision of the highest level of service.
Erica Brabon, Manager, Energy & Sustainability, National Facilities Management & Operations, Black & McDonald As the Manager of Energy and Sustainability Services, Erica Brabon manages and implements Energy & Sustainability initiatives nationally. With her technical expertise and professional experience in energy management, energy audits, benchmarking, GHG emissions tracking, green building certification systems, occupant engagement, and sustainability initiatives, Erica plays an essential role in reducing energy costs and environmental impact for our company and our clients. During her 10+ year career, Erica has managed incentive program projects securing millions in incentives and loan dollars for clients; conducting energy audits and retro-commissioning studies; developing facility operator training focused on sustainable operations, and facilitating environmental training for over 200 operators. She is fundamental in developing B&M’s portfolio wide energy management and reporting services for our client facilities. Erica works to develop ongoing occupant engagement programs to achieve and maintain energy saving and sustainability initiatives. Technical Sustainability Disarray in Regulating Labs? The objective of this presentation is to describe the requirements that apply to the construction and use of laboratories that handle hazardous materials. The presentation will outline the current situation with respect to the construction and use of laboratories handling hazardous materials. The requirements obviously refer to the National Building Code and National Fire Code of Canada, which have been adopted by the competent authorities in Quebec. However, there are often grey areas in the legislation, which are illustrated by significant "gaps" in the regulations that are currently in force. Jozef Zorko, OAQ, OAA, AIA, IRAC, VBA, ACECP, NFPA, Partner/Principal, DMA Architectes
Jozef Zorko, senior architect and senior partner, has been with DMA since 1984 and has unique experience in functional, technical and architectural programming. This experience builds on a high degree of expertise in renovation and restoration projects, and in particular projects involving heritage buildings and application and incorporation of building codes. He is also involved in designing and building research and teaching labs and is also a regulatory consultant for numerous institutions, including McGill, Université de Montréal and Polytechnique Montréal. He is frequently involved in resolving envelope problems and general construction of buildings, both in the private and institutional sectors, and in situations that are often litigious. This has led him to develop a highly complex ability to understand and analyze methodologies for construction projects and technical and technological issues associated with the art of architectural detail. As a result of this unique expertise, he is often asked to give lectures on building regulations for the industry as well as the fire safety for building occupancy and use.
Jozef Zorko, DMA Architectes
Fume Exhaust Fan Types and Systems
Dennis Nelsen, Twin City Fan & Blower
The objective of this presentation is to show participants the many different types of lab fume exhaust fans and to describe the parts of the fans and why they are important. Then describe where best to apply these fans.
Dennis Nelsen, Senior Sales Account Development Engineer – Fume Exhaust,Twin City Fan & Blower Dennis Nelsen joined Twin City Fan Companies in March of 2016. Dennis has over 36 years of successful HVAC experiences in service, marketing, and sales roles of a wide range of products; coils, air handlers, chillers, Commercial & Industrial Fans, rooftop air conditioners, mechanical equipment rooms, self-contained AC products, and ground source heat pumps. Graduated from Hennepin Technical College and was a USAF Reservist in Cryogenics & Air Conditioning.
The Benefits of Bringing Together All Stakeholders in the Lab Planning Stage to Achieve a Sustainable Approach
Javier Arguedas, Waldner Inc.
The objective of this presentation is to show the necessity to bring together all the stakeholders, at the earliest possible stage in the lab planning process, to maximize the efficiency of the lab spaces and the entire building.
There are many ways to design a laboratory and how to implement the many different technical parameters. Typically, in a fume hood intensive environment, planners tend to assume a “high energy consumption” approach to their design. Now this thought process has been changing in recent years as the cost of energy continues to increase and institutions are implementing more sustainable practices. Many other assumptions are made regarding casework, instruments and other vital components in a lab space.
The key to efficiently design a laboratory is to bring together, at the early stages, all of the stakeholders involved including (but not limited to): users, owners, department personnel, health and safety officers, lab planners, energy managers, architects, engineers and lab solution providers. There are many different technical aspects, such as air exchange rates, face velocities, diversity factors, materials, etc., that if discussed and understood at the start of the design process, would result in the most optimal solution without compromising safety nor function.
Our European counterparts have been successful for many years using this approach. With many stringent parameters to respect, lab planning can be difficult. However, with proper knowledge sharing and communication with all parties, sustainable design can be achieved. This process should be used when establishing the final parameters for all lab projects.
Javier Arguedas, North American Sales Manager, Waldner Inc. For the past 22 year, Javier Arguedas has been involved in the design of numerous labs in Europe and in North America. From clean rooms to vivariums and other complex research facilities, working with a renowned organization such as Waldner has given Javier the opportunity to always offer the most sustainable, efficient and modern laboratory solutions based on his client’s requirements. The majority of his work experience stems from dealing directly with the end users, thus giving Javier the knowledge and the understanding of their true needs in terms of functionality, safety and flexibility. Previously residing in Madrid, Spain, Javier is now based in Boston and is the North American National Sales Manager for Waldner Inc.
Lessons Learned from the Far North – The Design and Construction of the Canadian High Arctic Research Station
Deirdre Ellis, NFOE Inc.
The objective of this presentation is to discuss the challenges of sustainable laboratory design in remote locations by means of a case study of the Canadian High Arctic Research Station.
The Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS) in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut has been established to provide a year-round presence and to complement the network of research facilities across Canada’s North. The intent is to provide a world class facility for Canadian and International scientists. The project is pursuing LEED Gold certification.
The presentation will describe the unique challenges for the design, construction and occupancy of laboratory buildings in a remote, Arctic location as well as lessons learned that can be applied to projects in less remote areas.
Deirdre Ellis, Architect - Project Manager, NFOE Inc. Deirdre Ellis holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Carleton University and a Masters of Applied Sciences (Planning) from the Université de Montréal and is a LEED AP BD+C. She joined NFOE in 2010 and has experience in a variety of project types including health care and laboratory buildings with a focus on Sustainable Design. Her recent experience includes management of the design team for the Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Department at the new Glen Campus of the McGill University Health Centre, Scientific Equipment Integration Coordinator for the Université de Montréal MIL Campus project, and Project Coordinator for the Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS).
Green Principles of Steam Sterilization
Marcel Dion, STERIS
The objective of this presentation is to highlight good sterilization practices that will help with optimizing sterilization cycles and minimizing utilities consumptions of steam autoclaves.
Autoclaves are notorious for their consumption of water due to vacuum systems that call for water and hot steam condensate that must be cooled. Typically these challenges are addressed through water conservation systems that are purchased for the autoclave. However, consideration should be given to how sterilization cycles can be optimized for more efficient cycles. More efficient cycles require less time, less steam, less cooling water and ultimately less energy.
In this presentation, a brief overview will be given to lay the groundwork for how autoclaves use water, but most of the emphasis will be on practical examples of ways to optimize cycles to reduce cycle times and thus water and energy consumption. Attention will be given to liquid cycles and “red bag” waste cycles, both of which present challenges to sterilization and require long cycle times. Not only is water conservation realized, but good sterilization principles are addressed to ensure decontamination and sterilization.
Marcel Dion, Director of Marketing, Washing and Sterilization Systems, Life Sciences Division, STERIS Marcel Dion is Director of Marketing, Washing and Sterilization Systems, for the STERIS Life Sciences Division. He is based in the Quebec facility in Canada, where all STERIS washers are designed and manufactured. For the past 37 years, he has focused on bringing on the market innovative research and pharmaceutical grade washing and sterilization systems used in both Healthcare and Life Sciences industries. Marcel has been a member ISPE, AALAS and PDA organizations for many years.
Fume Hood Safety – Proper Containment is the ONLY True Reference
Deni Antonecchia, Preston Phipps Inc.
The objective of this presentation is to ensure that fume hoods are used properly and that they are safe. So how do we know if they are if we don't test them for containment? To add to that, are we also using the proper fume hood for the application? These questions need to be asked and answered to ensure safety.
Still today, fume hood face velocity is too often used as a reference. Hoods are susceptible to many factors in the lab environment and the hood itself also impedes on its own performance. So how can be state that a specific face velocity provides safety? Testing for containment is the only true reference which in turn provides users with the adequate face velocity that is required.
“As manufactured” (AM) hood testing can also be misunderstood as this type of testing does not consider the environment that the hood operates in. “As installed” (AI” and “as used” (AU) testing provides the right stage for proper containment testing. Too many users simply depend on AM testing and they can be put at risk.
Keeping sashes closed is another important topic when it comes to hood safety. Unfortunately, many users do not close their sashes. Call it bad habit or human nature, but there are interesting technologies now available that can help out with this predicament. It is also important to understand that reducing a hood’s face velocity when the sash is open and while there is not occupant in front of it can pose a threat to the space. This condition must be tested for.
Many factors are related to hood safety and this presentation will cover the above-mentioned concerns in complete detail. Solutions and guidelines will also be provided in order to help design our future labs, thus enabling sustainability.
Deni Antonecchia, P.Eng., Sales Manager, Preston Phipps Inc. Deni Antonecchia is a mechanical engineer and has been involved in the laboratory market since 2005. With significant experience in critical air applications and lab HVAC systems, his expertise now includes lab environment functionality, specifically with regards to fume hoods and casework. Deni obtained his Engineering degree from Concordia University and a graduate diploma in Management from McGill University. Deni now leads the Canadian Labs Solution Division of Preston Phipps Inc., which is based in Montreal. Deni has been involved in several high-profile lab projects across Canada. He is an active member of Sustainable Labs Canada (SLCan), including as an administrator of their Montreal Chapter.
Operational Sustainability
Chilled Beams on MaRS
James Johnson, The Mitchell Partnership Inc.
The objective of this presentation is to review the application of chilled beams in research laboratories (wet-labs).
The MaRS building as a vertical laboratory posed several challenges, and as it also is a LEED building it imposes through the base building design a requirement for zone temperature control to eliminate reheat energy consumption. It also has limited static pressure available from the base building exhaust and supply systems. This presentation will provide an overview of the application of active chilled beams to resolve these issues and the performance of the system energy consumption. Three different control methods are used and there are two design solutions for rooms with fume hoods.
James Johnson, Senior Associate, The Mitchell Partnership Inc. James Johnson joined The Mitchell Partnership in 2006 after graduating from University of Waterloo having joined with an interest in sustainable design, energy efficiency and continuous improvement. Since 2010 his design work has been focused on pharmaceutical, laboratories, district energy and renovations. Those projects have afforded the opportunity to get involved after construction to include commissioning to ensure the system performance and close the feedback loop on the cycle of continuous improvement.
Advantages of Designing High Performance Energy Recovery into Building Infrastructure: Maximize Energy Savings!
Rudolf Zaengerle, Konvekta USA Inc.
The objective of this presentation is to show how high-performance energy recovery systems can be further integrated into the building infrastructure to increase energy savings and making a 'net-zero' goal more achievable.
High-Performance Energy Recovery Fundamentals:
High-performance runaround energy recovery systems with advanced control software are operating at efficiencies of net 70-90% (based on annual energy consumption for heating and cooling). It’s critical that high-performance systems operate at optimum performance under varying operating parameters. With several variable input parameters, controlling and optimizing a system requires a numerical-simulation-based controller that allows variable amounts of heat transfer fluid to be circulated throughout the system. Multi-functional systems, with additional energy preservation measures, add yet another level of complexity to the controller function.
Maximizing Energy Savings throughout the Building Infrastructure:
Heating and cooling energy input in the outside air is typically the largest energy consumer in a lab building. However, with VAV and high performance energy recovery, other energy consumers become more and more important and need be addressed, in particular in view of net-zero energy building goals. There are many different ways to integrate some of the additional energy consumers with the traditional outside/exhaust air energy recovery system with remarkable energy savings results. We will focus on the following options in detail:
- Generate process cooling water in winter
- Re-use steam condensate
- Make condensing boilers actually condensing
- Eliminate cooling towers (at least in winter)
- Preheat domestic hot water
Buildings with these integrations will be discussed and actual energy savings are documented.
Rudolf Zaengerle, President, Konvekta USA Inc. Rudolf Zaengerle is the President of Konvekta’s North American operations, a subsidiary of the Swiss-based Konvekta AG. Rudolf holds a Master of Mechanical Engineering degree and a PhD in Business Administration both from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich. He has also studied at Harvard Business School. Rudolf was an Assistant Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology’s Energy Sustainability & Urban Planning Institute before he relocated to the USA more than 20 years ago to manage Swiss technology businesses in North America.
Green Laboratories for Green Chemistry – The Approach of McGill University's Chemistry Department
Jean-Marc Gauthier, McGill University
The objective of this presentation is to highlight the approach taken to review the complete configuration of McGill University's chemistry lab and to better understand what was implemented as part of this transformation.
The renovations of the research and teaching labs, which were carried out over the last 12 years, brought essential infrastructure to the Chemistry Department, thereby enabling it to become a leader in Canada and a world-class green chemistry centre. Our facilities are now considered as a model for all development projects for the university's research and teaching spaces. The first part of this presentation will explain the key elements of architectural and mechanical design as well as the change in philosophy (a challenge!) behind these choices. The second part uses concrete examples to illustrate how these spaces are used and how preservation of the environment and sustainable development have transformed research, educational approaches and laboratory use in general.
Jean-Marc Gauthier, McGill University A venir.
Procurement Sustainability
Life Cycle Assessment for Sustainable Labs
Julie-Anne Chayer, Groupe Agéco
The objective of this presentation is to discuss what life cycle assessment and environmental product declarations are and what are their benefits.
With the release of many certifications, such as LEED V4, life cycle assessment (LCAs) and environmental product declarations (EPDs) are increasingly being included in bid requirements and requested by building professionals when selecting products to use in their projects. This session will cover the basics of LCAs and EPDs – what are they and what are their benefits? Attendees will leave the session with a better understanding of the different steps of life cycle assessment and EPDs, and why they are needed not only to meet bid requirements, but also how they can be used to identify and track process improvements, and market the environmental commitment of a company.
Julie-Anne Chayer, Director, Business Relations, Groupe Agéco Julie-Anne Chayer earned a degree in chemical engineering from Polytechnique Montréal and joined the CIRAIG (Polytechnique Montreal) in 2002, the year the life cycle research centre was founded. Julie-Anne joined Quantis in 2011 as the director of business development and continues to be involved in many projects. In March 2015, the Quantis Canada team joined the ranks of Groupe AGÉCO. A specialist in ISO standards for environmental life cycle analysis, Julie-Anne has led many life cycle thinking projects for organizations in various sectors in the past 15 years. She has developed unique expertise in sustainable buildings sectors, in which she is especially active and recognized. Julie-Anne is often invited to speak on environmental LCA topics and is a leading figure in Québec’s sustainable building sector. In June 2015, she was appointed chair of the board of directors of the Canada Green Building Council (Québec section) and is often called upon to develop and provide training on related topics.
Social Sustainability
Sustainability by Design at the University of Saskatchewan Collaborative Sciences Research Building
Rea Carlson1 and Rachel Nelan2
1University of Saskatchewan
2Flad Architects
The objective of this presentation is to showcase how the University of Saskatchewan, in Saskatoon, is advancing the frontiers of Social and Experimental Sustainability with its new Collaborative Sciences Research Building. The owner and architect for the project will provide valuable insight for others seeking to stretch the limits of what’s possible to achieve under tight schedules and budgets and high institutional expectations.
The Collaborative Sciences Research Building (CSRB) project is providing a unique opportunity for the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) to significantly improve its mission of teaching, outreach, and research in the natural and life sciences. The initial occupant of the building will be Biology, a department with urgent needs for new space and equipment. This 7,000-square-meter addition to the existing Thompson Biology Complex provides three floors of combined shared research labs, lab and grad student offices, and amenity space; core facilities for vivaria and imaging at the basement level; and, a greenhouse core occupying the roof.
The entire process for the CSRB project – from planning, design, and construction through occupancy and ongoing use – has been conceived as a continuum of social sustainability. While not a comprehensive list, this has included efficiency in planning and design through the commitment of a fully integrated design team, with client and project success as the central drivers for each decision. In design, experimental sustainability has meant a departure from university standards, at times, to meet schedule and budgetary goals. Both social and experimental sustainability were demonstrated in systems selection; one such example is the exterior glazing assembly and envelope construction. The energy model provided data which helped the team realize that a more opaque approach to the envelope design would enable compliance with new energy codes, resulting in a more energy efficient building for the university.
The Biology department faculty are deeply committed to energy conservation, including building operations. A culture of responsible use is in place, including training for staff and students as an integral part of the experience for all users of the building. With the intent to visibly demonstrate sustainability in practice, the Biology department will institute real-time display of energy and water use for each large shared lab per floor enabling peers to collaborate, and even compete, to be the most efficient in operations.
An aggressive project schedule was the primary factor in the university deciding to pursue Green Globes (GG) certification for this project. An enthusiastic design team has been innovative in seeking every opportunity to achieve the highest number of GG credits, a significant effort in a laboratory building, particularly with rooftop greenhouses. With an eye toward implementing Continuous Improvement Tools as defined by I2SL, the monitoring of CSRB performance over its early years will provide the U of S with important data and benchmarks for reference as they develop other projects. The university and Flad Architects are delighted to share the challenges and opportunities inherent in these early phases of the project.
Rea Carlson, A.Sc.T., LEED Green Assoc., Planner, University of Saskatchewan Rea Carlson has served in the role of project development and planning for over 14 years at the University of Saskatchewan. She works with university clients to develop projects ranging from high-level master plans to smaller renovation projects. As the primary liaison between the campus client and the consultant team, Rea serves as project lead during the planning phase to ensure that a team approach to all aspects of the project are adopted and embraced by all parties involved and that a successful comprehensive plan is established that will advance the University of Saskatchewan in its mission and vision.
Rachel Nelan, AIA, LEED AP, Architect/Principal, Flad Architects Rachel Nelan leads the firm’s in-house research initiative on the Scientific Workplace of the Future and is experienced in a wide-range of highly technical laboratory and research facilities for academic, institutional, pharmaceutical, and government clients. She is passionate about working with owners and researchers to define the needs to support their research missions, and aligning programmatic needs and institutional expectations for sustainability, budget, and schedule. Rachel speaks across North America on topics related to research facility programming, planning, design, and sustainability in high performance buildings.
Experimental Sustainability
Supplying All That Air Is Exhausting
Part 1 – Making the Case for Variable Flow Exhaust
Michael J. Pieterse and Glenn D. Schuyler
RWDI
The objective of this presentation is to demonstrate the steps required to determine the savings potential of laboratory exhaust systems and provide input to the decision process.
The amount of supply air required in a laboratory is often driven by the requirement for exhaust. The exhaust requirement, and hence the supply requirement, can be reduced by reducing fume hood flows, reducing minimum air change rates, and providing variable volume control devices. Exhausting less air from a building results in reductions of energy primarily on the supply side; lower volumes of air need to be heated, cooled, or dehumidified, and supply fans operate at reduced flow. However, on the exhaust side, constant volume with bypass operation, with negligible changes in system pressure, do not lead to energy savings.
The energy savings potential from variable-flow exhaust fans have been discussed over the past several years. Although the exhaust fans can represent a large percentage of building energy use, the potential benefit is not exactly clear. The lack of clarity stems from the fact that reduction in exhaust volume can result in potential safety issues due to re-entrainment of fume hood exhaust. The minimum safe exhaust flow varies from stack to stack depending on wind climate, stack design, and surroundings.
The typical design solution that provides safety from chemical exposure and exhaust volume flexibility consists of a constant-speed exhaust fan coupled with a bypass damper that opens as fume hoods are closed. To save energy, we would like to eliminate the bypass damper and equip the exhaust fan with a variable speed drive, thus allowing the exhaust fan to modulate in response to exhaust demand. This leads to the question of how low can the exhaust flow go before the reduced momentum and internal dilution result in a risk to occupants due to re-entrainment. The amount of energy to be saved is a direct result of this lower limit. There are several methods for reducing the lower safe limit that include improved stack design, powered plenum bypass, and active exhaust fan control. They all have different effects on the amount of energy savings possible.
This presentation provides a description of the steps to be taken and information required to estimate the minimum safe exhaust flow, the available savings based on the current minimum safe exhaust flow, the potential to reduce the minimum safe exhaust flow, and the amount of savings available when incorporating the various methods to achieve the reduction.
Michael J. Pieterse, M.A.Sc., P.Eng., Project Engineer, Building Air Quality, RWDI Michael Pieterse is an air quality and dispersion modelling specialist who has contributed to the successful design of over 200 projects including many laboratories, educational buildings, hospitals, and high-rises since joining RWDI in 2010. In addition to collaborating with architects and fellow engineers to ensure that RWDI clients’ buildings meet the highest air-quality standards, Mike plays a key role in developing new software capable of solving unique dispersion problems. He holds a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Waterloo and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the province of Ontario.
Glenn D. Schuyler, M.A.Sc., P.Eng., Project Director, Principal, Building Air Quality, RWDI After six years as a research scientist at the National Research Council of Canada, Glenn Schuyler joined RWDI in 1981, and has been a Principal since 1984. He has provided technical guidance in all of RWDI’s service areas. Glenn applies his technical experience in wind engineering, air quality, aerodynamics, sustainability, internal ventilation, acoustics, vibration, and noise control to provide high level consulting for projects ranging from industrial facilities to high-rise towers. He holds a master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Toronto, is a Registered Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario, Canada, and is an ASHRAE Fellow.
Supplying All That Air Is Exhausting
Part 2 – Supply Air Diffusers and Their Effects on Containment
Eric L. Li, Glenn D. Schuyler, Dianthé van Weerden
RWDI
The objective of this presentation is to examine the use of different types of supply air diffusers in a laboratory and consider their suitability for the various tasks they are used for, in light of the low flow rates that are often required to achieve energy efficiency goals.
Laboratory supply air is used to fill many differing and sometimes inappropriate requirements. These include replacement air for exhaust from containment devices, dilution of fugitive emissions, cooling of occupants and equipment, provision of directed air movement to separate activities, and personal protection for activities performed outside of containment devices. Supply air can do one of the above reliably – replace air exhausted from containment devices. The others, not so well. As laboratory supply and exhaust flows are reduced for energy efficiency, our ability to use supply air flows for anything more than replacement air will become more restricted. If we are to expect supply air to do any of these other tasks, we need to understand the room flow patterns caused by the delivery of air through the many types of diffusers.
In this presentation, the different types of diffuser and their placement will be examined, considering their suitability for the various tasks mentioned. Diffusers considered will include laminar, high induction, linear, displacement, perforated duct, and chilled beam.
Eric L. Li, M.A.Sc., Project Scientist, Building Air Quality, RWDI Eric Li joined RWDI in 2011 as a Technical Coordinator in RWDI’s Building Performance team, after six years as a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) specialist in the defence and oil & gas industries. At RWDI he leverages his expertise in aerodynamics and heat transfer to advise master-planners, architects, and engineers on climatic designs in and around the built environment. Using advanced calculation tools, he helps to make buildings and neighbourhoods safe, comfortable, and sustainable. He holds a Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Toronto.
Glenn D. Schuyler, M.A.Sc., P.Eng., Project Director, Principal, Building Air Quality, RWDI After six years as a research scientist at the National Research Council of Canada, Glenn Schuyler joined RWDI in 1981, and has been a Principal since 1984. He has provided technical guidance in all of RWDI’s service areas. Glenn applies his technical experience in wind engineering, air quality, aerodynamics, sustainability, internal ventilation, acoustics, vibration, and noise control to provide high level consulting for projects ranging from industrial facilities to high-rise towers. He holds a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Toronto, is a Registered Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario, Canada, and is an ASHRAE Fellow.
Building Wood Laboratories
Yvon Lachance, BGLA INC. | ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN URBAIN
The objective of this presentation is to allow designers and clients to objectively analyze the feasibility of using wood to build their laboratories. It will also provide participants with a grid and analysis tools and outline a draft decision-making process.
The choice of a building system that is suitable for laboratory and critical production environments is determined through analysis of numerous factors, including safety of users and operations, containment requirements and hygiene. This choice is often limited to concrete or steel, materials whose characteristics have long been recognized as compatible with the activities taking place in these buildings. But what about the possibility of using wood to build these critical environments? Is it possible, or even a good idea?
The conference will explore the decision-making process for analyzing the potential of using wood to build laboratories: risk analysis and planned operations, codes and standards in place, including the important consideration of its combustibility, economic considerations (purchase and implementation costs), durability and versatility, as well as a discussion on managing expectations of clients and designers alike.
Beyond the unique considerations specific to the laboratory world, what other considerations should be taken into account when choosing wood as a building system? The advantages of wood in terms of environmental impacts will be analyzed, and the presentation will be supported by recent data on wood materials, its impact on the well-being of users and communities, its carbon storage ability and the various products that can be incorporated into a laboratory. This component will be prepared in collaboration with the Cecobois organization.
Finally, several examples of laboratories and research centres that use wood will be presented. There are examples from Quebec, and research will be conducted to find wood labs elsewhere in the world.
The presentation will be impartial to the extent possible, addressing both the perceived benefits and the real disadvantages that can arise from choosing wood as a building system for a critical environment..
Yvon Lachance, Architect, BGLA INC. | ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN URBAIN Yvon Lachance is a partner with BGLA, an architecture firm with three locations in Quebec. With over 25 years of experience in architecture, Mr. Lachance is in charge of the firm's Critical Environments Department. His portfolio includes numerous major institutional and public projects, university buildings, research centres (health, chemistry, physics) and renovation projects on contemporary and heritage envelopes. He is the current director of the Montréal chapter of the CSC, a member of the Association for Preservation Technology International, of the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I²SL) and, of course, the SLCAN, where he sits on the board of directors.
Strategies Implemented by the Government of Canada to Reduce the Ecological Footprint of its Buildings
Thierry Lemieux and Philippe Simard
Natural Resources Canada
The objective of this presentation is to outline the various initiatives taken by Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in its buildings across Canada.
The Low Carbon NRCan initiative guides Natural Resources Canada's activities to meet its specific goals outlined in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. Low Carbon NRCan puts into action a plan to reduce levels of greenhouse gas emissions from its operations to match the national target of 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and 40 percent by 2030.
Several initiatives are proposed to reduce GHG emissions. The first uses often neglected practices, including loss reduction, heat recovery and control strategies. Continuous commissioning, which is a continuous activation mechanism that uses specialized IT tools to detect and diagnose operational faults and inefficiencies and ensures ongoing savings and benefits of all investments. Then, the use of innovative technologies is proposed, such as renewable energy (e.g. solar power) and ejector-compression for air conditioning.
Ejector-compression is a technology that makes it possible to refrigerate using a heat source as primary energy. NRCan currently has two test sites that use solar energy to power air conditioning systems. In this device, the ejector replaces an electric compressor in the refrigeration system, which greatly reduces electricity use.
Thierry Lemieux, P.Eng., Project Manager, Natural Resources Canada Thierry Lemieux holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Polytechnique Montréal and is a member of the OIQ. He also has the title of Project Management Professional from the Project Management Institute. Over the last fifteen years, he has developed extensive expertise in project management, energy efficiency in buildings and public services, as well as the operation and maintenance of buildings and mechanical services. His work experience has covered various sectors of the industry, including the institutional sector, automotive R&D and the food and pharmaceutical manufacturing sectors. This varied experience has led Thierry to oversee Natural Resources Canada's GHG reduction programs.
Philippe Simard, M. Sc. A., Natural Resources Canada Philippe Simard obtained a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Sherbrooke in 1999, followed by a masters in 2002, where he specialized in digital modelling. He taught at the university until 2003. With CanmetENERGY since 2004, Mr. Simard has specialized in energy analysis, modelling of refrigeration systems and HVAC. He has been involved in creating arena and supermarket modules of RETScreen software, among other activities, and has helped develop refrigeration training workshops. He designs refrigeration test beds and prototypes with external partners.
John Abbott College’s New Science Building: An Example of Sustainable Development
Nicolas Lemire, Pageau Morel
The objective of this presentation is to highlight sustainable development strategies for John Abbott College’s new Science Building.
The Anne-Marie Edward Science Building is a new 10,500 m2 facility dedicated to the sciences and health technologies that is attached to John Abbott College’s existing buildings. The building contains numerous teaching labs and incorporates natural ventilation, energy recovery and energy efficiency. This new building received an LEED Gold certification.
Highlights of the building include a 45-well geothermal system, coupled with heat pumps, which was designed to meet between 50% and 70% of heating and cooling needs. The Anne-Marie Edward Science Building thereby offers a 45% reduction in energy consumption.
This project won an OAQ award of excellence in 2015 in the “Public Institutional Buildings” category, first place in the ASHRAE Technological Awards in the “Educational Facilities” category, an award at AQME's Energia gala in the "New Construction – All Sectors" category and a trophy at Contech.
Nicolas Lemire, President, Pageau Morel Nicolas Lemire holds a bachelor’s degree (1997) and a masters in mechanical engineering (1999) from Polytechnique Montréal. He has worked at Pageau Morel since completing his studies and became a partner in 2003 and senior partner in 2009. Today he is president of the firm and mainly oversees the company's direction and development strategies. He is also responsible for business development at Pageau Morel. Interested by all things related to green design, Nicholas quickly became a leading figure in energy efficiency. He has worked with ASHRAE for over 18 years at the local, regional and international levels. He is a founding member of a consultation committee for promoting ASHRAE to young and future graduates internationally (Young Engineers in ASHRAE).Nicholas is also recognized for his expertise in the health field, and was part of the cooperation committee for rewriting ASHRAE’s HVAC Design Manual for Hospitals and Clinics, which was published in 2013. During his career,Nicholas has received numerous recognition awards for various projects, including for Concordia University's Richard J. Renaud Science Complex, the Kahnawake Survival School, the major renovation of McGill University’s Otto Maass Chemistry Building and, more recently, three awards for John Abbott College's Anne-Marie Edward Science Building.
Planning and Programming Sustainability
Balancing Safety and Sustainability to Provide a High Performance Laboratory Building
John Alberico, RWDI
The objective of this presentation is to educate the listener on the values of identifying sustainability and safety issues in the design phase of high performance laboratories.
Early consideration of both the ventilation strategies within the laboratory space, and the dispersion of laboratory exhausts after discharge is critical to provide a high performance laboratory building that successfully implements energy saving design techniques while protecting the building occupants and the neighbours. Energy reducing design techniques that could influence occupant safety include:
- Laboratory ventilation design strategy (ACHs, local capture, etc.);
- Low energy use laboratory exhaust fans (variable volume flow and/or low discharge velocity);
- Openings in the building envelope (vents, windows, transitional spaces);
- Unique rooftop features (PV panels, wind/solar chimneys); and
- Other natural ventilation features (wind scoops/towers).
When these concepts are considered late in the laboratory design process, it can be very challenging to optimize these sustainable strategies while ensuring environmental health and safety objectives are met.
It is a common misconception that a higher number of air change rates within a laboratory will provide occupant safety. This presentation will challenge the concept of using air changes as a measure of occupant safety. In addition, it is common to consider the dispersion performance of the laboratory exhausts and the potential for re-entrainment later in the design process after the mechanical design has been significantly developed. However, waiting to evaluate these aspects at a later stage of design, can limit the ability for changes to the exhaust and intake design, and feasible mitigation strategies are limited. In many cases, the mitigation options available at this stage of design will be in direct conflict with the architectural and sustainable goals for the project. Exhaust dispersion issues should be considered in an iterative and interactive manner throughout the design process, and not just as a modeling exercise near the end of the design process.
Considering these issues early in the design process can be critical to the success of strategies like natural ventilation. There may be existing conditions that could compromise the quality of air drawn into the laboratory, and potentially affect the sustainable features of the building (i.e., if natural ventilation openings will be impacted by an existing neighbouring emission source). This is often overlooked at the early stages of design because the team members are typically focused on the design of the building itself.
Specific examples and case studies will be used to demonstrate the benefits of considering the details of the internal laboratory ventilation system and exhaust dispersion and potential emission infiltration during the early stages of laboratory design, and how this approach is critical to ensure a laboratory will meet sustainability and energy use goals while satisfying appropriate safety objectives.
John Alberico, Principal and Senior Consultant, RWDI John Alberico is one of RWDI’s most experienced consultants, with a nearly thirty-year record of delivering high performance buildings for colleges and universities; healthcare; governments and public institutions; and public-private partnership projects. He joined RWDI in 1988, after receiving his M.Sc. from the University of Guelph. He became a Principal at RWDI in 2004. He is a Canadian Certified Environmental Professional and a WELL Accredited Professional. John is known for forming strong, highly functional links across project teams, enabling architects, engineers, planners and construction firms to deliver excellent, well-integrated projects.
Planning for Pedestrian Induced Vibrations in a Laboratory
Niel Van Engelen, RWDI
The objective of this presentation is to provide background on pedestrian-induced vibrations (PIVs) as they relate to research facilities. The presentation will focus on early planning methods to mitigate PIVs to improve the performance of sensitive equipment and reduce costly retrofits or changes to the design of the facility.
Vibrations due to pedestrian footfalls are often the governing source of vibration on the upper floors of structures. These vibrations may cause discomfort for occupants or interfere with the operation of sensitive equipment in research facilities. A conflicting trend in structural engineering has emerged. Structural designs have progressed towards longer spans with efficient designs that are increasingly flexible, rendering them more susceptible to pedestrian-induced vibrations, while the vibration targets of high precision equipment, such as NMRs and microscopes, have become increasingly stringent. Mitigating expected pedestrian-induced vibrations for new construction often results in a considerable re-design of the structure to obtain a sufficiently stiff and massive floor, particularly in applications with sensitive equipment. Retrofit of existing structures for floor vibrations is difficult and costly. Failure to properly plan for pedestrian-induced vibrations may have significant financial and architectural implications for a project. Best practices for early consideration of pedestrian-induced vibrations are discussed with a case study example of an existing facility.
Niel Van Engelen, Project Scientist, RWDI Niel Van Engelen is a Project Scientist in the Vibration and Damping Group at Rowan Williams Davies & Irwin Inc. Niel specializes in evaluating and mitigating pedestrian-induced vibrations in healthcare and research facilities. Niel's work includes new construction and retrofit of existing facilities. Niel completed his Ph.D. in Structural Dynamics before joining RWDI with over twenty-five technical publications.