Colorado-Real-Estate-Journal_432803

40 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / DECEMBER 2024 ELEMENTS Lab Design Building for the Future: FDA’s DenLab is Advancing Climate-Conscious Design A groundbreaking project is set to redefine the entrance to the Denver Federal Center in Lakewood. The new flagship regulato- ry lab for the U.S. Food and Drug Ad- ministration and owned by the Gen- eral Services Administration is being designed as the most energy-efficient laboratory in the nation, with fund- ing support from the Inflation Reduc- tion Act. As part of the GSA’s “Design Excellence” program, SmithGroup has been commissioned to create this pro- gressive new facility, which aims to achieve net-zero en- ergy, LEED Platinum and ultra-low embodied carbon. The three-story, 75,000-gross-square-foot building will house scientific teams responsible for overseeing the health and labeling of food, drugs, vaccines, medical devices and other products while also fostering innovation in the industry with state-of-the-art analytical laboratories for FDA’s microbiology and chemistry divisions. Achieving net-zero energy is a formidable challenge without the incorporation of renewable energy sources. To meet its ambitious energy goals, the DenLab will uti- lize myriad strategies, including solar, geothermal and battery storage systems. Additionally, IRA funding man- dates requirements for reducing the project’s overall em- bodied carbon footprint, ensuring the DenLab not only meets but exceeds current sustainability standards. An iconic and ultragreen gateway to the WW II era Denver Federal Center The Denver Federal Center, originally established as a munitions production site in the 1940s, is predominant- ly composed of buildings from that era. The new Den- Lab, with its striking architectural design, opens to the southwest, creating a welcoming entrance for staff and visitors at the DFC’s gate while offering stunning views of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Terra cotta was selected as the primary exterior enve- lope cladding material, paying homage to the existing DFC brick-clad structures while offering modern sustain- ability practices. These thin terra cotta panels are more energy efficient than standard brick, as they require less energy to produce and are lighter, making them easier to transport. This lightweight material also serves as a shading scrim on the south elevation, calibrated and ori- ented to modulate sunlight penetration during the cold- er winter months, ensuring thermal comfort in the open office areas without compromising visual connectivity or environmental performance. Additionally, a timber curtain wall system has been selected for its excellent insulative properties and low embodied carbon, further enhancing the building’s sustainability credentials. n Leading with low-embodied carbon. The embodied carbon of building materials represents a sizeable por- tion of global greenhouse gas emissions, with the pro- duction of concrete, steel and aluminum alone account- ing for over 22% of these emissions. (Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, 2018 Global Status Report). As the electric grid transitions away from fossil fuels, all-electric buildings will eventually have no operation- al carbon emissions, making the reduction of embodied carbon even more critical. Recognizing this, SmithGroup has prioritized both operational and embodied energy in the design process and material selection for the DenLab project. To minimize embodied energy, the project employs several strategies for the building’s structure, enclosure, Mark Kranz, FAIA Vice President and Design Director, SmithGroup The building opens up to the Rocky Mountains and offers views of the Front Range while shading a newly crafted campus plaza below. The design seeks to elevate expectations for federal facilities and honor the mission of the FDA while creating a new identity for the DFC.