Lightening the load for laboratories

Most research laboratories, such as software development centers, institutional biomedical research buildings and pharmaceutical discovery facilities, require a large amount of energy to function. While some may say that the term "energy-efficient laboratory space" is an oxymoron, total energy use can always be curtailed as long as HVAC systems are carefully selected and tailored to the user's needs. Within these categories, there are many options to consider when selecting HVAC systems. One consideration is whether the laboratory's supply-air quantity is driven by the number of hoods exhausted - like many chemistry labs - or by internal thermal load, such as electronics laboratories with little or no fume hood exhaust. Another factor affecting system selection are design criteria set by the owner. There are two main types of HVAC systems used in research laboratories: constant volume and variable air volume. The supply-air quantity required can either be hood-driven or load-driven.