Brady Memorial Laboratory

Brady Memorial Laboratory 2nd Floor Laboratory Renovation

To aid in maximizing the sustainable attributes of the building, Yale School of Medicine designed and built the project in alignment with the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED for Commercial Interiors program at the Gold certification level. All aspects of the building’s design contribute toward its sustainability.

Site Transportation

Yale University strives to reduce automobile use by providing alternative solutions such as easy access to public transportation and car/van-pooling throughout the campus. The Brady Memorial Laboratory is regularly serviced by both University and City of New Haven bus lines, which also connect the facility to New Haven’s Union Street Train Station. In addition, its central location is within walking distance to many local amenities. Yale’s parking policy incentivizes carpooling with discounted rates for two person carpools and free parking for carpools of greater than 3 persons. However, no new parking spaces were added for this project to further discourage automobile use.

Water Efficiency

In the United States, it is estimated that over 340 billion gallons of fresh water are withdrawn from rivers, reservoirs and streams daily to support industrial, commercial, residential and agricultural needs. After use, this water is then discharged back into these water bodies. In an effort to conserve water, ultra low-flow lavatories and urinals and dual flush water closets were used in the project.

Energy Efficiency

Fossil fuel based energy generation contributes toward global climate change. According to the Department of Energy, buildings consume about 39% of the energy and 72% of the electricity produced in the United States. The 2nd Floor Renovation addresses this issue by utilizing energy conserving technologies which also serve to lower the annual operating cost. Occupancy sensors in offices, equipment rooms and lavatories provide automatic switching when these areas are unoccupied. During unoccupied hours temperature setpoints are expanded to reduce energy consumption. A heat recovery system is provided to recover energy from the main exhaust system and use it to pre-heat or pre-cool the outdoor supply air seasonally. Ventilation fans have variable frequency drives that allow fan motors to reduce speed in response to reduced airflow requirements. Perimeter radiant heat panels are included to increase energy performance and occupant comfort.

Materials

Waste reduction contributes toward saving natural resources, energy, disposal space and costs and in reducing pollution risks. This project diverted the majority of its construction waste from the landfill thorough a rigorous recycling program. To reduce the environmental impact created from the processing and distribution of virgin materials, care was taken to specify locally manufactured materials with high recycled content. Such materials include steel, concrete and FSC certified wood used for the lab casework. In addition, the furniture in the offices is GreenGuard certified furniture that has met the low-emitting products test requirements. Yale University also promotes recycling of daily waste materials such as plastics, metal, office paper, equipment and corrugated cardboard. The 2nd Floor Renovation includes a built-in recycling center.

Interior Environment

On average, Americans spend 90% of their time indoors. It is estimated that indoor pollutant levels can exceed outdoor levels by two to five times. Given the importance of indoor environmental quality, ventilation rates, controllability of temperature, lighting and ample views to the outdoors have been carefully designed to ensure occupant well-being. The building has been designed with carbon dioxide sensors to ensure that fresh air is supplied when the CO2 concentration levels are high. Finishes, such as interior paints, sealants and adhesives, as well as the office system furniture have low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) content to reduce toxicity and noxious odors. No urea formaldehyde resins or binders were used in the fabrication of laboratory casework or other composite wood products. Post construction, new air filters were installed to ensure a dust free environment during occupancy. In addition, the 2nd Floor Renovation was air-tested to ensure the VOC, particulate and carbon monoxide (CO) levels were well below acceptable thresholds.

Innovation in Design

The innovations in design for the 2nd Floor Renovation include the reduction of laboratory water usage through the use of low-flow laboratory sink faucets and the installation of an educational display showcasing the building’s sustainable features. In addition, the project achieved innovative levels of construction waste reuse and recycling, with over ninety five percent of construction waste diverted from the landfill.

Five Fun Facts

* 86.2% of the wood used in the project was certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
* 97.1% of construction material was diverted from landfills.
* 20.4% of material installed as part of the fit out was manufactured from recycled materials.
* 61.9% of construction materials are manufacturing within a 500 miles radius of the project site saving cost and pollution from fuel required for delivery. (16.9% are manufactured and extracted within 500 miles).
* 54.1% reduction of annual potable water use is anticipated with the water saving measures provided in the building.

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Brady Memorial Laboratory