California Institute of Technology | Thomas Laboratory of Engineering

The Thomas Laboratory of Engineering is located on the famous campus of the California Institute of Technology. Originally built in 1945, this historic building now exceeds standard practices for energy efficiency. The foremost goal of the project was to meet the rigorous needs of the building users while also targeting an annual energy use reduction of up to 50% compared to other buildings. This was achieved using high-efficiency mechanical systems, an efficient building envelope, lighting, and electrical systems.

The design and equipment used within the building serve as a notable example of feasible, sustainable design. The laboratory includes a dedicated outside air handling system, resulting in a 75% reduction in air movement fan energy, elimination of reheat, compressor-free cooling during most of the year, and heat recovery ventilation. In addition, to plug load management, daylighting and low-energy lighting help reduce the heat load in the lab space.