Hach Hall - University of Iowa
Location: Ames, IA
Construction Cost: $15 M
Completed: 2010
Contact: Mark Grief, Project Manager, ISU
Completed in 2010, the Hach Hall building added state-of-the-art classroom, laboratories and instrumentation to the Department of Chemistry at Iowa State University. As a leading research institution, this project expanded ISU’s competitive position in the market for top students. During his term with prior firm in the Midwest, ST+B principal Todd Spacek acted as principal in charge and lead mechanical engineer for this LEED Gold Building.
The new $74.5 million dollar building consisted of a four-story, 138,000-square-foot facility. The basement houses spaces for 8 analytical chemistry laboratories, their support spaces as well as building services for campus utilities (district steam and chilled water) interface. The basement also features an isolated floor system for vibration suppression to accommodate ultra sensitive equipment associated with Physical and Analytical Research Laboratories. The first floor consists of three classrooms and laboratories for organic and inorganic chemistry along with a student lounge space, the instrument services department, and building services. Housed on the second and third floors will be 24 synthetic chemistry research laboratories, supporting approximately 120 graduate students and office spaces for 20 faculty and support staff members.
The building design needed to target LEED Certification in order to meet Iowa State University’s green initiative and resource conservation goals. Featuring 260 plume fume hoods to support the research and education functions, a facility of this nature would generally be an energy intensive. Todd Spacek lead his design team toward sustainability measures of both hood exhaust energy recovery and variable air volume fume hood capability.
The energy recovery plate heat exchanger was designed in each 100% outside air laboratory air handling unit to reclaim heat off of the lab exhaust and temper incoming outside air. The selected heat exchangers are more efficient than the ASHRAE minimum requirements for this type of building by over 45%.
The variable volume fume hood arrangement consists of venturi-style supply and exhaust control terminals for confident air balance control despite varying demand. With controls incorporating zone sensors to automatically adjust airflows based on presence of occupants, energy cost is cut roughly in half from a baseline code compliant laboratory building.
As part of the overall effort, Todd assisted ISU Facilities Planning and Management in revising its standard design guidelines for laboratory air flow requirements. This was done to reduce energy cost and to be more aligned with current design trends and code limits. The project also contained a rain water reclamation system where storm water is collected and stored in a below grade tank to be used for urinals and water closets.
