Projects

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | Integrative Genomics Building

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | Integrative Genomics Building

Berkeley, California
United States
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Introba provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering as well as lighting and daylighting services for the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab Integrative Genomics Building in Berkeley, CA United States.

The new 78,500 ft² genomics research building and central offices consolidate the existing Joint Genome Institute and the Systems Biology Knowledgebase group. The new facility is the first building of the new biosciences quad at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) as part of a final 500,000 ft² build-out. The biosciences group will be crucial support of the Department of Energy Grand Challenge in Science and Technology to reduce energy impacts on society. 

This building is a mixed-use facility consisting of wet laboratories, dry laboratories, a computational data center, and office spaces. The project also includes a 5,000 ft² modular utility plant that serves the main building. The utility plant is designed to be expandable and can support up to five more buildings. 

The Introba (formerly Integral Group) lighting team designed daylighting to be the primary illumination source in the building, with electric lighting used to supplement. All office spaces have access to daylight, with labs utilizing views out to daylight through interior glazing. The south façade features a daylight redirecting film that redistributes diffuse sunlight up and deep onto the ceiling, driving daylight deeper into the building. Shading and façade elements were carefully tuned in partnership with the architect to ensure thermal performance that is compatible with the low-energy radiant cooling system, to ensure visual comfort for office occupants, and to ensure the design aesthetic of the building. 

The team designed lighting with performance and aesthetics in mind. Introba’s lighting design for Net Zero includes extensive ceiling coordination with fans and chilled beams. The low-lighting power density also does not sacrifice visual comfort or aesthetics, and the team also closely considered the preservation of darkness on this campus site. The design minimizes uplight and glare, emphasizing lighting walls and walking surfaces rather than overlighting from above. The project is a Dark Sky-compliant design. 

The project, funded by the Department of Energy, achieves energy usage goals 30% better than ASHRAE 90.1 and 50% better than the building it replaced.

Sustainability

  • LEED Gold certified 

Project Highlights

  • 78,500 ft² genomics research building and central offices consolidating the Joint Genome Institute and the Systems Biology Knowledgebase group; funded by the Department of Energy 

  • Mixed-use facility consisting of wet laboratories, dry laboratories, a computational data center, and office spaces 

  • Daylighting to be the primary illumination source in the building, with electric lighting used to supplement 

  • Thermal performance is compatible with the low-energy radiant cooling system, ensuring visual comfort and design aesthetics  

  • Design minimizes uplight and glare, emphasizing lighting walls and walking surfaces rather than overlighting from above 

  • Achieves energy usage goals 30% better than ASHRAE 90.1 and 50% better than the existing building  

Photo Credit: Bruce Damonte

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