Sustainable Strategies Checklist

This "quick reference" of sustainable design strategies for laboratories is hierarchically organized by design areas, objectives, and strategies. It is especially useful for sustainable design charrettes and goal-setting. Each strategy has a link to various core information resources, where available:

- Labs21 Best Practice Guide(s)
- Labs21 Design Guide web pages
- Labs21 Case Studies that implement the strategy
- Labs21 conference presentations and phone forums
- Other resources, such as the Whole Buidling Design Guide, and FEMP recommendations.

Click here for a printable version of this checklist, which also includes brief descriptions of each strategy and associated metrics. The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list includes technical queries on various strategies.

Note: The resource links for each strategy are under continuous development. Please contact Labs21 with comments and suggestions.


Sustainable Sites

 

Minimize environmental and safety impacts of effluents

 

EPC credits

 

 

Modeling of airborne releases

 

9.1

 

 

Post-construction testing & certification of airborne releases

 

9.1

 

 

Effluent minimization and mitigation

 

9.2

 

 

 

   

Water Efficiency

 

Minimize water use

 

 

   

Water conservation in laboratories

 

p1, 4

   

 

   

Energy & Atmosphere-Loads

 

Minimize Loads

 

 

   

Optimize ventilation requirements

 

p4

   

Minimize simultaneous heating and cooling loads

 

-

   

Right-size laboratory equipment load

 

9

   

Daylighting in laboratory spaces

 

1

   

High performance facades

 

1

   

Optimize temperature and humidity setpoints

 

-

   

 

   

Energy & Atmosphere-HVAC

 

Maximize ventilation efficiency

 

 

   

Efficient fumehoods

 

1

   

Low pressure-drop design

 

1

   

Manifolded exhaust system

 

-

   

Specifying efficient fans and motors

 

1

   

Ventilation system control strategies for efficiency

 

1

         
   

Maximize cooling efficiency

 

 

   

Energy recovery

 

1

   

Efficient chiller systems for labs

 

1

   

Thermal energy storage

 

1

   

Evaporative cooling

 

1

   

Desiccant dehumidification

 

1

         
   

Maximize heating efficiency

 

 

   

Efficient boiler systems for labs

 

1

   

Waste water heat exchangers

 

1

   

Gas-driven humidification

 

1

   

 

 

 

Energy & Atmosphere-Lighting

 

Maximize electrical lighting efficiency

 

 

   

Efficient electrical lighting systems for labs

 

1

   

 

 

 

Energy & Atmosphere-Commissioning

 

Commissioning

 

 

   

New construction commissioning

 

-

   

Retro-commissioning

 

-

   

 

 

 

Energy & Atmosphere-Energy Supply

 

Maximize renewable energy use

 

 

   

Onsite renewable energy strategies for laboratories

 

2

         
   

Maximize energy supply efficiency

 

 

   

Combined heat and power

 

7

   

 

 

 

Energy & Atmosphere-Electrical Systems

 

Maximize laboratory equipment efficiency

 

 

   

Specify energy efficient lab equipment

 

8

   

Configure equipment to minimize internal heat gain

 

 

         
   

Minimize electrical distribution losses

 

 

   

Strategies to minimize electrical distribution losses

 

 

   

 

 

 

Materials & Resources

 

Improve management of hazardous materials stream

 

 

   

Strategies to track and manage hazardous materials stream

 

p2, 8

         
   

Conserve materials and resources

   
   

Adaptive building reuse for laboratories

   
   

Reduce, Reuse and recycle materials for laboratories

   
   

 

 

 

Indoor Environmental Quality

 

Maximize environmental health and safety

 

 

   

Fume hood and laboratory commissioning

 

9.2

   

CFD modeling to optimize indoor air flow

 

9.1

   

Room pressure control

 

 

   

Self-identifying and failsafe alarm systems

 

9.3

   

Displacement ventilation in laboratory spaces

 

 

   

 

 

 

Innovation and Design Process

 

Laboratory planning

 

 

   

Design for flexibility and reconfigurability

 

 

         
   

Design process

 

 

   

Sustainable design process with the Labs21 toolkit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 
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