5
Fully fitted
Not applicable
Simple building
Not applicable
Shell & core
Not applicable
Shell only
No minimum standards
To encourage laboratory areas that are designed to minimise their operational energy consumption and associated CO₂ emissions.
Value
- Encourage effective communication between the client and the design team to identify the occupant requirements and performance criteria.
- Reduced capital and operating costs as a result of appropriate sizing and specification of equipment and adoption of best practice design principles.
- Ensure that energy efficiency measures do not affect the health and safety of the occupants.
Context
Laboratory facilities are required to comply with regulations and other standards for safety and various environmental conditions such temperature and air quality. Compared with an office building, the average laboratory consumes ten times more energy per square feet, with some labs using as much as 100 times more energy1. Therefore, energy efficient measures can result in significantly reduced energy costs and waste, improved systems efficiency, and long-term sustainability.