Woods Hole, MA – The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole needed a cutting-edge, fully professional, year-round facility that would accommodate the growth of its educational programs, strengthen its competitive position, and advance its research and education mission. Tsoi/Kobus & Associates (TK&A), the Cambridge-based firm with deep experience in the laboratory science and educational sectors and a strong commitment to green design practices, had developed a 10-year master plan for the MBL. The firm recommended renovating the Loeb Lab, a dated, 66,000sf laboratory originally designed for seasonal use only.
It was essential to both the client and the design team that the new building be as sustainable as possible. The budget for the project was primarily directed toward the introduction of state-of-the-art classroom and lab spaces supporting new technologies for seven key programs (embryology, neural systems and behavior, biology of parasitism, frontiers in reproduction, microbial diversity, physiology, and neurobiology), therefore low-cost, high-impact approaches needed to be identified.
The design team worked closely with the client to develop a wide-ranging menu of solutions which resulted in the Loeb Lab receiving LEED gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Examples include:
• A white roof, efficient lighting design, improved wall insulation, an engine driven chiller, and heat recovery for gas-fired chillers, boilers, and water heaters, producing a building that uses 37% less energy, compared to similar examples.
• Use of a Dolphin Water Treatment System in the building’s cooling towers, avoiding annual discharge of 196 pounds of chlorine gas and 174,000 gallons of blow down water containing phosphate, zinc, and chlorine. The system saves more than 380,000 gallons of water per year. By also replacing fixtures with waterless urinals, dual flush toilets, and low flow faucets, water use at the site is reduced almost 33%.
• Interior lighting is 22% better than code, thanks to measures including occupancy sensors with automatic shutoff and efficient exit signs.
• There are no ozone-depleting CFC-based refrigerants in the HVAC system.
• Low-emitting materials were used wherever possible, including adhesives, sealants, paints, and carpets.
• Recycled materials make up almost 24% of the project whole. More than 50% of the wood used is responsibly sourced and FSC certified.
• 95% of the building’s structural frame and exterior envelope was re-used.
• No new parking was added, and three of the existing 47 spaces are designated as reserved for fuel-efficient vehicles. An adjacent building offers showers for patrons who choose to bike to the site.
• Finally, Shawmut Design and Construction recycled almost 100% of demolition and construction waste and also successfully managed the project’s Construction Indoor Air Quality Plan.
Richard Cutler, MBL’s director offacilities, services, and projects, recently told TK&A sustainability practice leader Blake Jackson, “Before the renovation, Loeb was like an old, worn-out pair of shoes we kept wearing because it was the only pair we had. Now, we have a building that not only is performing exactly as we designed it to but also is enhancing MBL’s image as a state-of-the-art institution and making a positive impact on our work—and our world.”
Loeb Lab Renovations designed by Tsoi/Kobus
Woods Hole, MA – The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole needed a cutting-edge, fully professional, year-round facility that would accommodate the growth of its educational programs, strengthen its competitive position.
