Amistad Building

Completed in 2007, the Amistad Street Building, which houses the Interdepartmental Program in Vascular Biology and Therapeutics, the Yale Stem Cell Center and the Human and Translational Immunology Program at the Medical School, has been rated LEED-CI Gold by the US Green Building Council. The 120,000 square foot building is a model sustainable scientific research facility.

Site and Transportation

With easy access to both Yale’s campus shuttle system and public buses, the Amistad Street Building was constructed on a site conducive to the use of public and alternative transportation. Its proximity to Union Station also makes it easy for commuters to arrive by train. Bike rack and shower access encourage employees to bike to work. Restaurants and stores are in easy walking distance, allowing building users useful amenities without the need to drive.

Water Management

Storm water is collected from the roof and stored in a 7,500 gallon tank. This water is treated without chemicals and used in the building’s grey water system to flush toilets and provide irrigation. This practice not only conserves potable water, but also reduces the amount of runoff entering New Haven’s storm water system.

The amount of water used is further reduced by ultra low-flow lavatories and dual flush water closets installed throughout the building. In addition to the outdoor storm water collection system, condensation from the air handling units is also collected for use in the grey water system. Together, these systems will reduce potable water usage by 80% annually.

Materials

Special consideration was given to both the materials incorporated in the building and the disposal of waste during construction, and the project utilized materials that are locally manufactured and have high recycled content. Laboratory cabinetry is constructed from Forest Stewardship Council certified wood. Recycling of construction and demolition debris reduced the amount of waste that would normally enter landfills by 70 percent.

The building was designed to promote sustainable waste disposal even after construction finished. The Amistad Street Building is equipped with built-in recycling collection locations and a system for recycling lab waste has been initiated.

Energy Efficiency

Energy conserving measures in the Amistad Street Building reduce operating costs and green house gas emissions. Energy efficient light bulbs are used throughout the building. Occupancy sensors used in rooms that are not always occupied, such as offices, lavatories and equipment rooms, ensure that lights are not left on unnecessarily. To maximize the use of daylight, perimeter areas are equipped with daylight responsive controls, which are connected to the lighting system. Light fixtures with an uplighting component bounce light off a highly reflective ceiling; this design reduces the number of light fixtures required in laboratories by half. A heat recovery system recaptures energy from the main exhaust system; this energy is used to pre-heat and pre-cool the outdoor air supply entering the building, according to the season. Variable frequency drives installed in ventilation fans allow fan motors to slow down during reduced airflow loads to conserve energy.

Indoor Environmental Quality

Indoor environmental quality helps to ensure the health and wellbeing of employees. To improve indoor environmental quality, the Amistad Street Building was designed to promote indoor air quality, ventilation, temperature and light control, and views of the outdoors. Carbon dioxide detectors control the influx of fresh air, increasing flow when carbon dioxide concentrations become too high. To further improve air quality, care was taken to use finishes, paints and sealants with low volatile organic compound (VOC) content. Upon completion of construction, to ensure the effectiveness of air quality improvement measures, the building was air-tested to determine VOC, particulate and carbon monoxide levels.

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Amistad Building