Photographer: Eckert and Eckert

Opened in early 2004, the $80 million Public Health Sciences Facility includes a 26,000 square-foot research laboratory, a library, conference rooms, offices, a cafeteria, commercial-grade kitchen and state-of-the-art technology services. The project is part of a 1.1 million-square-foot, multi-phase campus development, located on 10.3 acres of redeveloped brownfield adjacent to Seattle's Lake Union.

Affiliated Engineers provided mechanical, electrical, piping, lighting and information technology engineering design for the project, realizing energy efficiencies and achieving many sustainable components by “designing forward” to exceed evolving code.

Fred Hutchinson Site Plan Click on the map for larger version Site plan courtesy of Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership

Along with brownfield reclamation, wetlands preservation, over 80 percent construction waste diversion from landfill, public transportation access, high percentage of local manufacture and local harvest materials, and low-emitting materials, adhesives, sealants and carpets, the Public Health Sciences Facility's sustainability features include:

Rainwater Irrigation System supplied by roof drain- and subsoil drainage system- filled reservoir.

Heat Island Reduction (via three levels of underground parking) and Open Space Enhancement, mindful of structural density and proximity to Lake Union.

Daylighting, incorporating light-well atrium design, and Below-Code Lighting Allowance Budget, achieved through effective lighting systems and lamp wattage at desired foot candle levels, supplemented with task lighting.

Occupancy and Daylight Sensors control appropriate mechanical, electrical and lighting systems.

Indoor air quality assurance with two-week flush out; above-code air handler filtration brought to MERV 13 levels by introduction of higher-level filtration media.

Variable Air Volume lab HVAC, and Variable Frequency Drive chillers.

Variable Geometry Discharge Dampers maintain fume exhaust velocity necessary for dispersion, regardless of fan speed, by contracting or dilating the size of the aperture. This first application of a new technology realizes a 35-percent load reduction of process energy powering specialized technologies unique to the building's uses (as opposed to regulated energy used for basic building operation).

Heat Recovery from server rooms, accessing the water loop serving the cooling unit as a continuous preheat energy source for conditioned air serving the lab.

Interstitial Floors containing mechanical, electrical and piping systems serving the labs provided lab space flexibility, extending the life of the building and isolating system maintenance operations.

To date, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has received 11 awards for energy conversation and environmental leadership.