ERDC BioSyn Lab
As the Prime Designer of Record (DOR), GMHILL provided comprehensive design services for renovating the 12,253 square foot ERDC Biosynthetic Lab, encompassing Buildings 6007 and 6011, connected by an interior passageway. The project was divided into two phases as per the client’s request. Phase I involved the interior demolition and renovation of Building 6007 and the connector passageway to Building 6011, covering approximately 3,064 SF. Additionally, Phase I included renovations of essential program components within Building 6011 and the demolition of asbestos-containing material (ACM) located in the ductwork joint compound. Phase II focused on the interior renovation of the remaining laboratory spaces in Building 6011.
In addition to renovating the laboratories, a canopy was added at the main entrance, the entry of Building 6011 was widened to accommodate the loading and unloading of large, palletized materials, and updated finishes were applied throughout the buildings.
Building 6007, a pre-engineered metal structure with insulated metal panel walls and a metal panel roof, previously housed small offices, restrooms, electrical/telecommunications spaces, and utility support spaces. These areas were demolished and renovated for use as laboratory spaces for the ECO-GEN / G.R.T LAB and CELL-BIO user groups. The design also included the addition of a new electrical room in the northwest corner of Building 6007, featuring a new exterior door opening to the courtyard space. The exterior storefront door and sidelites on the south side of Building 6007 were replaced with a new storefront system, including a 42-inch-wide door.
The enclosed passageway between Buildings 6007 and 6011 was renovated and expanded to provide clearance for lab carts and overhead passage for building system utilities. The connector was extended westward by six feet and the roof was raised by approximately two feet, remaining about one foot below the roofs of Buildings 6007 and 6011 to allow proper flashing. The expansion included a new concrete slab, insulated walls, and a roof constructed with cold-formed metal framing. Exterior walls and the roof were finished with prefinished metal panels to match the existing building.
The east entrance to Building 6011, serving as the main entrance to the facility and the package receiving area, was a priority for renovation to accommodate the loading and unloading of large, palletized materials. The renovation included new recessed storefront doors, a new vestibule, a personnel locker alcove, and an enlarged entry corridor capable of housing temporary shipments without obstructing egress or normal circulation. Additionally, the adjacent exterior sidewalk on the east side of Buildings 6011 and 6007 was outfitted with guardrails where the sidewalk is elevated above the parking lot more than the standard six-inch curb height. The entrance reconfiguration also included a new canopy over the entrance door.
Renovations to the restrooms, mechanical room, and janitor spaces in the north-central portion of Building 6011 provided updated services to the renovated laboratories in Building 6007. The large mechanical/electrical room continued to function while being subdivided to include a janitor closet for the overall facility.
A new riser room, servicing both Buildings 6007 and 6011, replaced an office in the southeast corner of Building 6011. This included a new exterior door in place of a window and a new interior partition to subdivide the office space.
The government removed existing furnishings, fixtures, and equipment not affixed to the building, such as desks, chairs, tables, shelving, and supplies, prior to the commencement of construction phases. Some existing fume hoods and biosafety cabinets in Buildings 6007 and 6011 were disconnected and relocated to Building 1008 on the ERDC campus for storage during the construction phase. Upon completion, the contractor reinstalled the fume hoods and biosafety cabinets in the renovated spaces of Buildings 6007 and 6011.
The HVAC systems were designed to provide required occupant comfort while minimizing energy consumption, exceeding ASHRAE 90.1-2022 standards in accordance with UFC 1-200-02. The system includes a packaged rooftop-style VAV air conditioning unit, mounted on grade, with hot water heating, providing fresh ventilation air intake and exhaust fan, with MERV 8 prefilters and MERV 13 final filters. Specific zones are served by VAV terminal unit boxes with hot water reheat, with rooms zoned based on usage and exposure. VAV ventilation is tied into hood exhaust operation to maintain balanced building pressurization, and dedicated ductless mini-split units serve COM-type rooms.
