Page 20 - Zero Net Energy Case Study Buildings-Volume 3

CASE STUDY NO. 12
THE J. CRAIG VENTER INSTITUTE
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Zero Net Energy Case Study Buildings: Volume 3
Background
The J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) is a non-profit institute engaged in research in genomics and related fields of molecular biology. The research mission of the Institute includes continued work on the analyzing the human genome, sequencing the human microbiome, microbial and viral genomics, understanding the genetic basis of life in the world’s oceans and advancing the new field of synthetic genomics. Current research topics include ocean health, disease diagnosis, vaccine development, sustainable waste treatment and climate change.
The Institute was originally based in Rockville, MD, and in 2005 the director, Dr. Venter, was invited by U.C. San Diego (his alma mater) to build a West Coast research laboratory in La Jolla, CA, on land owned by the university and to be leased to the Institute. After several years, the commitment was made and early goal-setting and visioning sessions were begun. The idea was to build a facility that would embody the attitude and approach to the research at JCVI—innova- tive, pioneering and committed to contribute to the solutions of contemporary environmental and sustainability issues.
In this spirit, the design goal would be inspired by the Salk Institute, the iconic laboratory complex first occupied in 1963 nearby in La Jolla, CA. Namely, just as the Salk Institute is considered by many as the model laboratory building of the 20th century, so the JCVI laboratory, according to its director and the project team, was to be “The Laboratory of the 21st Century” in all aspects of its design. New ideas for laboratory planning, design features and systems would be tried and proven so that the building could specifically serve as a model for future laboratories to follow.
To accomplish this, Dr. Venter began by hand-picking the design professionals seen as among the most visionary in the country, particularly in the areas of sustainability and research labora- tory design, who would embrace such a directive. After selecting ZGF Architects (Los Angeles) based on their innovative work in laboratory design and sustainability, Dr. Venter selected Peter Rumsey (then of Rumsey Engineers, Oakland) for the energy systems design and Andropogon (Philadelphia) for ecological landscape, for their strong emphasis on sustainable design.
It was in the early visioning sessions that this project team first discussed the “reach” goal of a ZNE laboratory design, something that had not been done before. The JCVI client had a delib- erately exploratory research culture—a research scientist’s adage was quoted during the ZNE discussions: “don’t talk yourself out of doing the experiment!”—and the assembled design team embraced the challenge of a ZNE design goal.
Intensive work sessions explored design options for planning concepts, system concepts and performance criteria. What emerged from the work sessions and ultimately from the follow-up conceptual design studies was a conviction that a ZNE laboratory could theoretically be done—it remained to carry out “the experiment”.
First came two years of fundraising for the project, final agreement with U.C. San Diego and ap- proval by the California Coastal Commission. By the time the design team was reconvened to begin the full design and construction phase, some experience with the systems and technolo- gies had been obtained with positive results. The team therefore was able to proceed with the original design with added confidence.