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Retrofit/renovation of a research facility/laboratory.
Engineering firm: exp
2014 MEP Giants rank: 4
Project: Dart Neuroscience Research & Development Center
Address: San Diego, Calif., U.S.
Building type: Research facility/laboratory
Project type: Other
Engineering services: Automation/controls, commissioning/retro-commissioning, electrical/power, HVAC/mechanical, lighting, and plumbing/piping
Project timeline: 9/1/2011 to 8/1/2013
MEP/FP budget: $30,500,000
Challenges
The engineering challenge for this project was the conversion of the typical mechanical and electrical systems from those meant for a three-story corporate office building to systems to accommodate an 188,000-sq-ft three-story corporate laboratory research facility. The new program included biology (65,000 sq ft), chemistry (45,000 sq ft) and vivarium (25,000 sq ft) laboratories along with corporate office space that includes large meeting rooms, a fitness center, and kitchen with indoor/outdoor dining space. The project scope also included the addition of two three-story atriums capped with skylights. All of the building single-pane fenestration was replaced with dual-pane glazing.
Solutions
All...