Integrated Laboratory Solutions for an Energy Efficient Design
The Carbon Neutral Energy Solutions Laboratory housed within the Strategic Energy Institute is a 43,000-square-foot facility located on the campus of Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Georgia. The lab is a Platinum LEED-certified building focused on researching sustainable energy solutions including:
- High-efficiency combustion engines
- Solar technologies
- Biomass gasification kinetics
- Biochemical-enzymatic conversion of biomass materials
- Capturing carbon dioxide from power plants and combustion engines
Triatek’s integrated Laboratory Solutions are part of the award-winning, energy-efficient, and minimalist design that reduces electricity loads, maximizes the use of renewable energy, and capitalizes on passive energy technologies.
The lab harvests energy on-site through solar panels to achieve carbon neutrality without having to purchase carbon offset credits. The lab features both high bay and mid bay work stations with fume hoods. Georgia Tech utilizes the LonWorks® building automation network, so Triatek’s LonWorks®-specific products were installed.
The installation included:
- Three FMS-1650L Room Pressure Controllers placed outside the lab entryways
- Nine HMS-1650L Fume Hood Controllers
- Over 10 VAV-1000L Variable Air Volume Controllers
- Over 20 Venturi Air Valves coated in Heresite® to prevent corrosion from toxins in the air stream
The valves installed in the duct work are connected to fume hoods to control exhaust, and they were also ganged together and installed in other areas of the lab to increase airflow.
The VAV-1000Ls control the pre-determined offsets between the supply and exhaust air, while the HMS-1650L controllers on the fume hoods protect researchers from toxic dusts and vapors during experiments.
The laboratory also installed FMS-1650L controllers to regulate the overall air pressure within the laboratory. Triatek’s products work seamlessly together to protect occupants of the lab while also providing maximum energy efficiency.
Awards for the Laboratory Include:
- 2013 High Honors – R&D Magazine Laboratory of the Year Awards
- 2013 Beyond Green™ Award of Merit for High Distinction in High-Performance Buildings – National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) and Sustainable Buildings Industry Council
- 2013 Merit Award, Excellence in Architecture category – Society of College and University Planners (SCUP)/American Institute of Architects Committee on Architecture for Education (AIA-CAE) Excellence Awards
- 2012 Merit Award Built Category – American Institute of Architects (AIA), Georgia Chapter
- 2012 Merit Award, General Design Category – American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), Georgia Chapter
- 2012 Best Project, Green Building Category – ENR Southeast, Best Projects contest
- 2009 Merit Award, Unbuilt Category – American Institute of Architects (AIA), New Jersey Chapter
