Research laboratories are where new things and solutions to existing problems are tested and discovered. One of the main issues in working at these facilities is maintaining an environment with highly controlled yet comfortable conditions, which is partly made possible with a well-engineered heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. Writing for Buildings.com, George Karidis and Victor Cardona say achieving this should be done in “cost-effective ways.”
The emphasis on controlled conditions in the pursuit of scientific research will certainly ring a bell among the laboratory community in Haughton, LA. The Bossier Parish town has a number of professional medical practices with attached laboratories, including diagnostic centers. If you are building a new laboratory that requires carefully-controlled environments, seek the services of a trusted commercial AC contractor in Haughton like AccuTemp Cooling and Heating.
There are some considerations in setting up an HVAC system for a laboratory environment that you and your contractor need to account for.
Power
With the many pieces of laboratory equipment expected to be in prime condition round-the-clock, energy efficiency does take a greater premium. HVAC systems consume up to 50% of a lab’s energy budget. Your AC specialist can help by calculating the appropriate cooling load for each area based on various issues, such as window U-value, solar heat gain, and insulation specs, then factor these into the design.
The efficiency of the lab equipment you’ll use is vital in reducing power cost. Karidis and Cardona advise that the HVAC system should be powerful enough to capture and dissipate the heat generated by the equipment, even if they are ENERGY STAR®-compliant. Fume hoods are critical at this juncture.
Protecting IEQ
Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) levels are important in a laboratory. Certain processes may require higher or lower cooling loads, plus variances in air changes per hour (ACH) as needed. This calls for closer coordination in designing an HVAC system that can adjust ACH levels in case of situations that could compromise IEQ.
Some elements that make up modern society may have originated in a humble lab at the hands of research teams who want to advance development. When you have a veteran Haughton AC contractor like AccuTemp helping you with your essential environmental needs, being able to literally maintain your cool while at work will enable you to get projects going at a smooth pace.
(Source: Top 5 Trends in Lab HVAC Design, Buildings.com)