by Russell Boniface
Associate Editor

How do you . . . design a state-of-the-art research facility through green design to meet LEED Gold standards?

Summary: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Laboratory Sciences Building 110 in Atlanta is the first federal government laboratory to earn LEED® Gold certification. International architecture firm Perkins+Will’s sustainable design features maximum light distribution in open laboratories, recyclable materials, and a landscape design featuring plantings and cisterns to capture storm water. The energy-efficient design is estimated to provide an annual energy savings of $175,000.

Perkins+Will Design Director Manuel Cadrecha, AIA, says that his firm maximized the beneficial impact of smart green design at every opportunity for the lab. “We were shooting for Gold,” says Cadrecha. “We always try to go a few points over, knowing that a few points are going to be debated. A trick for architects is that if you’re going for Gold, try to go for Platinum.”

An open, interactive research facility incorporating green design
Cadrecha says designing the energy-focused building involved challenges. Not only did the structure need to be a complex research center on a secure campus, but the site was less than ideal for maximizing daylight. “Its solar orientation was off,” Cadrecha explains. “It was the only available site, but 90 degrees off of what you would prefer. This was especially challenging because, early on, the client and design team wanted light and views in the open labs because people are in those labs for hours. It was important that people have a connection to the outdoors.”

To compensate, Cadrecha used a combination of shaded and non-shaded glazing, interstitial floors, and a complex brise-soleil system to capture direct and indirect light. “The majority of the glazing is shaded, but for the more active areas, we used non-shaded glazing for light saturation. Interstitial levels between floors create soaring 16-foot-high ceilings to allow light to penetrate deep into the lab areas,” he says. “The brise-soleil, made of punched aluminum, filters indirect light into labs. Most times during the day, the lights aren’t even turned on.”

Cadrecha and his team created an open, interactive floor plan affording 90 percent of the space outside views. “We did everything possible to eliminate the maze of corridors that can be seen in research facilities and instead opened up view paths to the exterior. We created gathering spaces, including two multi-story spaces open to the exterior,” says Cadrecha.

A large portion of Building 110, he adds, uses regional and renewable materials, such as bamboo. He points out that toxic paints, fasteners, and glues were not used, and 56 percent of construction waste was recycled. “Building 110 is also devised to maximize rainwater,” Cadrecha notes. “The water is diverted into rain gardens, absorbed into the ground or into underground cisterns, and then it hydrates the ground. Roof containers capture water and divert it into the rain gardens. We reduced the need for extensive irrigation and for taxing the municipal water system.” To further minimize electricity demands, Building 110 employs daylighting and occupancy sensors to keep lights off when not needed. “The savings is $175,000 per year in energy costs,” enthuses Cadrecha.

Green design takes partnership
Cadrecha emphasizes that smart buildings depend on the commitment and partnership of the design team, contractor, client, and owner. “Clients and the workforce are excited and want to be part of the development of responsible buildings—we see that in our organization, the client’s organization, and the construction organization. But when the budget crunch happens, everyone needs to be onboard and know we aren’t going to give up green designs in order to get a prettier window. It takes some real planning and buy-in early on; then carrying it through.”

Cadrecha recommends holding a workshop with all parties involved at the start of the project to identify the green project strategies. Use a scorecard, he suggests, to show the project’s end goals. Then, revisit the scorecard to ensure there aren’t any design agreement violations.

If you’re not doing it, start doing it
“In 10 years, we won’t be talking about why green design is special—that’s just the way it will be,” Cadrecha states. An example of how things have changed, he says, is landscape architecture and water management. “It used to be that landscaping was a compositional exercise, but not necessarily sustainable. Now, the interest is in native plants and pedagogical landscapes that perform water management. My recommendation to architects is: If you’re not doing green design already, start doing it.”

At this point, he adds, if a building is not sustainable, it’s not high quality. “Building 110 is a modern, high-profile, energetic design, so there’s no question that we can have smart, sustainable buildings that are elegant, innovative, and forward-looking. Architects can have a positive influence on the environment and need to be wedded to the environment. Our designs will create better cities, communities, and developments.”