Under Construction
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
NEW SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
200,000 SF medical education facility housing a laboratory and
electron microscopy suite, auditorium, classrooms, and a medical
simulation center.
LEED GOLD- PENDING
NEW SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
200,000 SF medical education facility housing a laboratory and
electron microscopy suite, auditorium, classrooms, and a medical
simulation center.
LEED GOLD- PENDING
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Energy modeling early in the design process enabled the owner to see energy and cost savings achieved when using a high performance HVAC system.
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State of the art technology was used to achieve an ultra high performance HVAC system. The building is ventilated with a dedicated outside air system consisting of air handlers employing dual energy recovery wheels. During summer months, the air is both cooled and dehumidified by transferring heat and moisture to the exhaust air stream. Room level sensible cooling is achieved with a chilled beam system. Heating is provided with perimeter radiation units. The building uses minimal reheat as the outside air is delivered at a neutral temperature.
Both the south and west face of the building employ an active facade system to allow greater use of glazing while minimizing solar heat gain. Motorized blinds sandwiched between two panes of glass react to incident solar energy, trapping heat within the facade as the blinds rotate closed. Room air is pulled through the bottom of the inner pane and removed at the top. The warm air is then exhausted from the building. This active facade system allowed designers to use floor to ceiling glass without exacting a serious penalty on the cooling system.