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November 10, 2015

New energy lab at PNNL in Richland tests ways to make buildings efficient

By JOURNAL STAFF

Photos courtesy of PNNL [enlarge]

There is a new energy research building on the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory campus in Richland.

The $10 million, 24,000-square-foot Systems Engineering Building houses control rooms, testing platforms and labs for research.

DGR*Grant Construction of Richland designed and built it, and the architect was Meier Architecture Engineering of Kennewick. This is the first design/build federal facility on the PNNL campus, which is operated by the Department of Energy.

Research done at SEB will focus on modernizing the grid, making buildings more efficient and integrating renewable energy.

The SEB uses software and real-time grid data to design and test new tools and concepts. Studies include cybersecurity issues related to the grid. The SEB can also function as a backup control center for regional utilities.

Inside SEB is the Building Operations Control Center, which monitors energy use in PNNL buildings and serves as a “test bed” for new technologies.

The LEED gold building uses 32 percent less energy than a comparable building, with an expected annual cost savings of $11,000. It also uses 40 percent less water that similar facilities.

It also has high-efficiency boilers, heat-recovery air units, a white TPO roof and LED lighting. During construction, 75 percent of waste was salvaged or recycled.




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