Three Lab Building Projects Score I2SL Awards by Reducing Energy and Emissions

Each year, the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL) recognizes lab buildings and improvement projects that prioritize sustainability through energy and water efficiency, use of renewable energy, climate resiliency, decarbonization, and more. Two new construction projects and one building renovation received I2SL’s Sustainable Lab Awards for Buildings and Projects during our Annual Conference October 21 in Dallas.

Alexandria Real Estate Equities’ new lab building at 325 Binney Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a LEED® Platinum facility featuring high-performance heating and cooling systems, energy conservation measures, and onsite renewable energy. In addition to achieving an estimated 97 percent emissions reduction relative to the Massachusetts 2020 Energy Stretch Code, the building was optimized to achieve an energy use intensity (EUI) of 114 kBtu per square foot and received a Labs2Zero Energy Score of 92 and Operational Emissions Score of 96. Rooftop solar arrays provide 3 percent of the total annual site energy, and remaining electricity is offset by a large-scale, long-term solar power purchase agreement. The heat recovery system and heat pumps run with a recovery loop, centrifugal heat recovery chiller, and highly efficient ground-source heat pumps. A rainwater collection system reduces the need for potable water and also contributes to cooling tower makeup water.

Supported by HOK, the design team for Emory University’s Health Sciences Research Building II in Atlanta incorporated energy efficiency and water conservation using extensive modeling to evaluate 96 conservation measures, many of which were incorporated into this new construction project. The offices use recirculated air and cascading outside air to minimize intake. The laboratory system employs enthalpy recovery wheels and high-performance ductwork to reduce energy use. Core facilities were located adjacent to each other to reduce outside makeup air volume. This project achieved LEED® Gold certification and is on track to achieve a site EUI of 151 kBtu per square foot per year. The cooling tower reclaims two million gallons of water annually, providing 28 percent of the building’s water needs, and high efficiency plumbing fixtures save about 6 million gallons of water per year.

DLR Group and Cator Ruma helped modernize the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Building 1, Wing 5 in Boulder, Colorado, by updating infrastructure, including engineering systems, utilities, and exterior walls. The renovation enhanced the building envelope, incorporated heat recovery measures, installed LED lighting, and optimized fume hoods, helping to achieve a Labs2Zero Energy Score of 75 with a predicted EUI of 166 kBtu per square foot per year—a 20 percent reduction from baseline. Upgrades such as WaterSense labeled fixtures reduced indoor water use by 40 percent; the wing’s outdoor design features rain gardens, permeable pavers, efficient irrigation systems, and drought-tolerant plants. In total, the renovation accounted for 70 percent less embodied carbon compared to modeled new construction of the same facility.

In addition to these overall award winners, three other projects were honored for specific aspects of their lab building sustainability efforts:

• Excellence in Energy Efficiency: Gilead Sciences’ Building 324 in Foster City, California, supported by kW Engineering and 3Flow.

• Excellence in Low Carbon Construction: PetroChina Shanghai Research Institute Technology R&D Center, supported by Dynaflow.

• Excellence in Design for Decarbonization: Caltech Resnick Sustainability Center in Pasadena, California, supported by CannonDesign.

Read more about these and other 2025 Sustainable Lab Award winners on the I2SL website.