COLORADO SPRINGS UTILITIES ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES LABORATORY

 

The Colorado Springs Utilities environmental services laboratory meets a need to modernize and consolidate existing water analysis labs into a new, state of the art facility.  The laboratory planning is driven by the functional lab requirements and a desire for flexibility.  The structural bay spacing was developed to eliminate interior columns, maximize bench length, and align with bench spacing.  A two-story light well serves as the central circulation spine with lab facilities on each side.  Support offices take a secondary position to the laboratories while providing a modern, day lit environment.

 

The building was the first laboratory certified LEED Silver in the US.  Careful passive design strategies maximize daylight, reduce solar heat gain, and take advantage of thermal mass to reduce energy consumption.  A state of the art HVAC system, paired with low-flow fume hoods, efficiently allow for full ventilation while minimizing the required cooling energy.  Site strategies, such as constructed wet lands and infiltration, filter and clean storm water run-off before it enters Fontenero Creek.

 

The office area is a striking change for staff at the laboratory.  Existing spaces, in a hodgepodge of scattered buildings, were inconsistent but tended to be large private offices.  The team developed workspace standards for the new office that minimized private offices and allowed for extensive collaboration in a variety of open work environments.

 

Project completed as Project Manager/Designer at RNL.