Photo courtesy of Lord, Aeck & Sargent and Gould Evans, copyright Timothy Hursley

Recently named the 2006 Laboratory of the Year, the Biodesign Building A is a $74-million, 176,018-gsf facility servicing approximately 300 researchers, staff, and students. Space is available for bioinformatics, biologics, shared research, support functions, and a Veterans Administration lab. Special equipment includes biosensors, microfluidic equipment, and DNA microarrays.

In keeping with the values of the Biodesign Institute—communication, collaboration, and integration—Building A is designed to encourage planned and informal communication. A four-storey atrium serves as the central spine of Building A and will be a continued theme in future phases. Lab, office, and conference space surround the atrium. A massive staircase serves as the main circulation between floors and encourages interaction. Staircase landings provide spontaneous meeting places, and strategically placed markerboards allow for the easy exchange of ideas.

Research lab space is located on floors one through three. Using an open lab concept, adaptability and flexibility are achieved with movable casework, modular open office layouts, open labs featuring flexible lab planning modules that measure 11' by 33', an overhead rack system for cable management, and a large floor plate area to maximize interaction. Strategic location of the vertical shafts providing access to utilities and mechanical systems easily accommodates changes in lab configurations.

Lab space below grade and on the first floor houses highly sensitive equipment for research at the nano-scale. Examples of the sensitive equipment include scanning probe microscopes, high-powered electron microscopes, and optical labs where the extensive use of lasers takes place. The operation of this equipment can be disrupted by external factors, such as vibrations, air current, temperature, humidity, pressure fluctuations, and electromagnetic interference (EMI).

Extensive measures were taken in the construction of Building A to mitigate the impact of external interference. Eighteen-inch thick concrete slab floors, condensed column spacing, and special construction methods in the center portion of the basement and first-floor labs help to control vibration and EMI. The mechanical ductwork and all above-ceiling plumbing utilities supplying these areas are suspended from a separate structural system so as not to transfer vibration to the first floor slab. Additional mechanical equipment and electrical transformers are mounted on vibration-isolated pade. These measures help to achieve vibration levels below 100 microinches/second (VC-E) at all critical areas. Overall vibration and EMI requirements are at 1mG peak to peak.

The 13-acre Biodesign Institute will be a new east gateway to the University campus. Ultimately the Institute will comprise a total of four buildings: Building B, a $78.4-million, 174,373-gsf building is scheduled for occupancy in January 2006. The administrative office for the entire Biodesign Institute will be housed in this building, along with research labs, office space, and a vivarium.

Site plans call for the completion of the 220,000-sf Phase III in 2006, followed by the completion of the 180,000-sf Phase IV a year later. The master plan also includes the construction of a large auditorium during this time.

Editor's Note: In August 2007, Building A was awarded LEED Gold certification by the USGBC.

Project Information
Building Owner:		Arizona State University
Owner Contact:		Michael McLeod, Project Manager
Building Location:		Tempe, Arizona UNITED STATES
Project Type:		New Construction
Principal Building Function:		Research laboratories
Project Delivery Method:		Bid
Project Timeline		Aug 2002 Planning Start Nov 2002 Design Start Mar 2003 Construction Start Nov 2004 Completion Last known status: Completed
Project Cost:		$74,000,000
Construction Cost:		$52,000,000
Cost Per Sq. Ft:		$295
		About These Cost Figures
Building Information
Project Includes:		Atrium Auditorium Biochemistry Biology Biomedical Biotechnology Education Education: Biology Education: Biomedical Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory Laboratory: Biomedical Research Laboratory: Biotech Laboratory: Dry And Wet Laboratory: Nanotechnology Laboratory: Research Office: Researcher Research Research: Biomedical Research: Biotech
Total GSF:		176,018
Total NSF:		98,591
Efficiency:		56%
People Density:		586 gsf/person
Building Services:		Vacuum, natural gas, point of use R.D. and purified water (deionized), dedicated compressed air
Special Equip:		Biosensors, microfluidic equipment, DNA microarrays, scanning probe microscopes, high-powered electron microscopes, and lasers
Power Req:		5,000 KVA electrical service (normal and research); 750 KW emergency power from campus generators; emergency power distribution to critical equipment, labs, and safety systems; occupancy sensor light controls
HVAC Req:		Variable volume terminal reheat system; 190,000 CFM AHU capacity for labs / 98,000 CFM AHU capacity for offices & atrium; one pass air distribution in all lab areas
Structure/Foundation:		Reinforced concrete frame structure utilizing a 22' x 28' column bay and cast-in-place flat slab construction. The design criteria for the concrete frame required a stiff structure for minimized vibration in the laboratory areas. Vibration mitigation was accomplished through the use of the following: * Basement: 12" thick concrete slab with 5lbs/cu yd Novomesh HPP fibers * First Floor: 18" thick concrete slab * Second Floor: 16" thick concrete slab * Third Floor: 16" thick concrete slab
Laboratory Parameters
Lab Module:		11' x 33'
Casework Mat'l:		Metal casework with chemical resistant enamel/cast epoxy resin; mobile benches with adjustable height countertops; free standing bench frame with adjustable module shelving
Fume Hoods:		15--60" benchtop combination sash fumehoods 4--72" benchtop combination sash fumehoods 7--96" walk-in fumehoods
Biosafety Cabinets:		6--4' Class II Type A2 Biological Safety Cabinet (not exhausted) 9--6' Class II Type A2 Biological Safety Cabinet (not exhausted) 1--4' Class II Type B2 Biological Safety Cabinet 3--6' Class II Type B2 Biological Safety Cabinet
Project Team
Architect		Gould Evans
Architect		Lord, Aeck & Sargent
Construction Management		DPR Construction, Inc.
Construction Management		Sundt Construciton
Consultant - EMI		VitaTech Engineering
Consultant - Vibration		Colin Gordon & Associates
Engineer - MEP		Newcomb & Boyd
Engineer - Civil		Evans Kuhn & Associates
Engineer - Structural		Paragon Engineering Corporation
Laboratory Planner		Lord, Aeck & Sargent
Landscape Architect		Ten Eyck Landscape Architects
Supplier - Biosafety Cabinets		NUAIRE Inc.
Supplier - Casework		Fisher Hamilton
Supplier - Fume Hoods		Fisher Hamilton
Profile Created 10/05/2005
Last Updated 08/02/2007
About the Reported Cost Figures The cost figures reported are supplied by the firms that submitted these projects for publication, which in most cases are the designers or builders. Whereas these sources are intimately familiar with their projects, they may not be fully aware of the owners' finally-realized and recorded costs. In some cases, costs are truly and completely accounted for, and in others they represent a near approximation of the final costs. Costs have not been adjusted for year of construction, nor has any attempt been made to make regional cost adjustments. Further, costs are not comparable on any kind of detailed standard costing model. Hence, it is possible for the cost of one building to include a steam boiler, while the cost of a comparable building might not include the boiler, if steam is being supplied from an already existing campus grid. Or, in another case, a building might include excess boiler capacity to supply steam to another building. Some submittals include fees or unusual site improvements as part of the construction costs, which others do not.

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