Science Center for Kentucky Wesleyan College

Owensboro, Kentucky

This high-density research and teaching lab needed to function perfectly, but still comply with tight budget constraints. We engaged MEP subcontractors early in a design-assist role and were able to develop a lab ventilation system design that was particularly efficient and cost effective. First, with all of the supply and exhaust equipment programmed to be roof mounted, we shifted many of the labs that required high air volumes to the building’s upper floors, reducing the length and cost of the runs of very large ductwork. This had the added benefit of reducing the size of the building’s vertical shafts and increasing usable square footage without enlarging the building. Second, we supplied air through a single shaft in the middle of the building with exhaust running to shafts at the ends of the building. This “horizontal” approach resulted in a more energy-efficient system with less equipment, more redundancy, and greater flexibility for future renovations.