When designing a laboratory, there are multiple challenges to accurately account for the embodied carbon emissions in the built environment. This includes the relatively new science of determining environmental impact and making design decisions based on inaccurate or incomplete data. To assist in addressing these challenges, the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL) is developing a benchmark and scoring method for laboratories.

At the I2SL Annual Conference, Flad Project Manager Dirk von Below will lead a presentation examining this new tool and how it can be applied to renovations, adaptive reuse, and new construction projects. Attendees will learn more about embodied carbon benchmarking strategies and how we can begin to understand a project’s performance against a baseline. The presentation will review how to use a life-cycle analysis to understand how a project’s program requirements, materials, and construction will affect its overall environmental impact.

Laboratory requirements have a significant impact on the structure of buildings, which is known to be a key contributor to carbon emission, making it a strong candidate for design optimization. Emerging information also suggests MEP refrigerants and materials may be significant factors in reducing a laboratory's carbon footprint.

Dirk will provide early design guidance and offer practical and cost-effective tools to help owners understand the carbon impact of the building and identify opportunities that optimize the design, without sacrificing key vibration, seismic, loading, and flexibility.

About I2SL >
The International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL) Annual Conference and Technology Fair is the world's leading international conference focused on energy efficiency, decarbonization, and sustainability in laboratories and other high-tech facilities.

Learn more about the Laboratory Benchmarking Tool