Carbon neutral university laboratory gets breath of fresh air
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August 10, 2017
The University of Nottingham’s £23million GlaxoSmithKline Carbon Neutral Laboratory for Sustainable Chemistry has been designed to achieve a BREEAM ‘outstanding’ rating, and be carbon neutral within 25 years of operation with ventilation developed by Imtech, in partnership with Gilberts Blackpool.
The 60,000ft2 building focuses on a timber frame, PV panels and natural ventilation for its green credentials. To improve fresh air within the five research labs and communal spaces, Gilberts’ DGA ceiling diffusers, NV transfer grilles, GSFA swirl diffusers, GX air valves, egg crates and linear bar grilles were selected, with Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) modelling undertaken to prove the performance objectives for intake and extract.
For the input of fresh air, Glberts’ DGA4 louvred diffusers provide four-way blow with a 12degree cooling differential and up to 0.350m3/s through the suspended ceilings, complimented by Gilberts’ GSFA ceiling fixed swirl diffusers, and aluminium NV vision proof transfer grilles moving air through partitions and doors at a maximum 1.5m/s.
Extract of used air is achieved via a combination of Gilberts’ GX steel air valves providing volume flow up to 200l/s, DGA diffusers, and linear bar grilles. All Gilberts’ components were finished in gloss or satin silver to the preferred RAL.
