Laboratories for the 21st Century

The recently opened Mathias Lab at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, located on the banks of the Chesapeake Bay in Edgewater, Maryland, is a new state-of-the art, high-performance research institution targeting a minimum of LEED Gold. The 92,000 sf building includes new office and lab space in addition to a 23,000 sf renovation of the existing office space.

In collaboration with EwingCole, Atelier Ten provided building-level energy analysis to test various energy-efficiency strategies within the EPA Labs 21 protocol, specifically the merits of a geo-exchange well-field, on-site photovoltaics, and a solar thermal array to supplement domestic hot water use. Our team also completed a daylight analysis of the atrium space that led to the façade glazing selection and provided concept level lighting strategies for a thermally and visually comfortable indoor environment for all building occupants. This leading research institute, which focuses on global climate change of coastal environments, is now one of the greenest buildings within the Smithsonian Institute portfolio.

Atelier Ten’s project team was led by Associate Director Ben Shepherd from the New York office.