NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center

NOAA

Southwest Fisheries Science Center

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FOREWORD

When NOAA and the architectural team embarked on the design process for our new laboratory almost 8 years ago, we could not have foreseen how the architecture would impact our work. Today we inhabit a building that reflects the way that we approach science: open, without barriers among disciplines, and with maximum interchange between our scientists and the environment they are dedicated to preserving. Our new laboratory functions as part of the surrounding ecosystem, fitting in with the coastal environment in a harmonious and sustainable way. Its generous, well-planned spaces and state-of-the-art technology have propelled our research forward. The architects’ focus on spaces for both physical and virtual collaborations has helped connect us with colleagues down the hall and across the globe. In a short time, it has enabled us to increase research partnerships, host conferences and workshops, and share our work with the public. We view it as an essential tool in our efforts to improve the condition of the nation’s living marine resources.

—Cisco Werner, PhD, Director, Southwest Fisheries Science Center

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Statistics

Project name NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center

Project Location La Jolla, CA Project owner National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA Fisheries, Southwest Fisheries Science Center Date of completion August 2013 Total gross size (SF/SM) 214,000 (124,000 SF office + labs + 90,000 SF covered parking) 65,227 SM (37,795 SM office + labs + 27,432 SM covered parking) Total construction cost $60 million Total project cost $74 million Cost per SF/SM $280 per SF/$919 per SM Ratio, net to gross SF 0.77 4

Client contact Roger P. Hewitt, PhD, Assistant Director, Southwest Fisheries Science Center 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037 858.546.5602 roger.hewitt@noaa.gov

Laboratory Consultant HDR Regina Filipowicz, Sr. Laboratory Planner 1001 SW 5th Avenue, Suite 1900, Portland, OR 97204 503.423.3867 regina.filipowicz@hdrinc.com

Entry Data

MEP engineer/Prime Consultant Gibbens Drake Scott Tim Scott, Vice President 9201 East 63rd Street, Suite 100, Raytown, MO 64133 816.358.1790 tscott@gdsengr.com

Submitter/Architect Gould Evans Robert Riccardi, AIA, Design Principal 95 Brady Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 4041 Mill Street, Kansas City, MO 64111 816.701.5392 robert.riccardi@gouldevans.com Associate architect Delawie Frank Ternasky, AIA, LEED AP, Principal 2265 India Street, San Diego, CA 92101 619.229.6690 fternasky@delawie.com Specifications/Security/ Sustainability Consultant HDR Bruce Johnson, Principal 560 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105 415.546.4210 bruce.johnson@hdrinc.com

Structural engineer TranSystems Corporation Jeff Reeder, Principal P.O. Box 419380, Department 144, Kansas City, MO, 64141 816.329.8600 jlreeder@transystems.com Civil engineer RBF Consulting Richard Tomlinson, Project Manager 9755 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., #100, San Diego, CA, 92124 858.614.5000 rstomlinson@rbf.com

Landscape architect Wimmer Yamada & Caughey Pat Caughey, President/Principal 3067 5th Avenue, San Diego, CA, 92103 619.232.4004 pcaughey@wyac.com Vegetated Roofs Consultant Jeffrey L. Bruce & Co. Brian Davis, Senior Project Manager 1907 Swift Street, Suite 204 Kansas City, MO 64116 816.842.8999 bdavis@jlbruce.com Aquatic Life Support Systems Consultant MWH Americas Ryan Gordon, Senior Engineer 9444 Farnham Street, Suite 300 San Diego, CA 92123 503.220.5410 ryan.m.gordon@mwhglobal.com General Contractor Rudolph & Sletten Rick Guinn, Project Executive 10955 Vista Sorrento Parkway, Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92130 858.259.6262 rick_guinn@rsconst.com

Commissioning agent Facility Dynamics Engineering Tony Pierce, Senior Engineer 23315 Modoc Court Gavilan Hills, CA 92570 951.940.1043 tonyp@facilitydynamics.com Acoustical and vibration consultant Colin Gordon Associates Hal Amick, Vice President/ Principal Consultant 150 North Hill Drive, Suite 15, Brisbane, CA 94005 415.570.0350 hal.amick@colingordon.com

Lab flooring manufacturer Nora Systems, Inc. Michelle Morris, Account Executive 9 Northeastern Blvd. Salem, NH 03079 603.894.1021 michelle.morris@nora.com Lab lighting manufacturer Columbia Lighting (Premier Lighting and Controls - Local Rep) Lane Wallis, Lighting Consultant 12427 W 92nd Street, Lenexa, KS 66215 913.541.8239 lwallis@premierlight.com

Lab Point-of-Use Purified Water System EMD Millipore Lab casework manufacturer Bob Ventura, Sr. Application Specialist Dow Diversified, Inc. 290 Concord Road Barry Lowe, Project Manager Billerica, MA 01821 1679 Placentia Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92627 800.645.5476 x6037 949.650.9000 robert.ventura@emdmillipore.com barryl@dowdiversified.com Hoist System Consultant Lab fume hoods manufacturer (Necropsy Suite) Hamilton Scientific LeFiell Company, Inc. Rick Johnson, Product Director Brandon Camp, Managing Principal 1716 Lawrence Drive, Suite 1, 5601 Echo Avenue De Pere, WI 54115 Reno, NV 89506 920.794.6205 775.677.5300 richard.johnson@hamiltonscientific.com brandon@lefiellco.com

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Introduction

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Objectives and Challenges

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Design Solution

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Unique Features

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Research

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Collaboration

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Sustainable Design

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Former SWFSC Facility

INTRODUCTION

The new NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center laboratory in La Jolla, California is an essential tool supporting the SWFSC’s mission to generate the scientific information necessary to conserve and manage the living marine resources of its region. A research branch of NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, the scientists at the SWFSC are structured in interdisciplinary, collaborative teams. The ultimate goal of the Science Center’s research is to maintain healthy fish stocks for commercial, recreational and subsistence fishing; recover populations of protected species; restore habitat; and coordinate with domestic and international organizations to implement fishery and conservation agreements and treaties. Center scientists also conduct research on likely responses to climate change in the temperate, tropical and polar ecosystems in which they work.

SWFSC scientists are often at sea for long periods and need a research environment that allows them to test survey methods and technologies, analyze data, and analyze samples collected at sea. The interdisciplinary nature of their work requires a combination of dedicated and shared laboratories, and meeting and conference space.

The original, award-winning SWFSC laboratory was located across the street and although scientists loved its architectural qualities, many of the laboratories had become outdated for modern marine science. In addition, the old facility was at risk due to proximity of eroding coastal cliffs. Therefore, the Center needed to find a new home, and NOAA began planning for relocation in cooperation with the University of California San Diego and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Ultimately, funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provided the resources necessary to replace the existing SWFSC laboratory with a state-of-the-art marine science research facility on a site across the street and overlooking the picturesque La Jolla Cove.

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New SWFSC Facility

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OBJECTIVES + CHALLENGES

The design for the new building grew out of a number of goals:

people in the building.

• Replicate the beloved “courtyard

culture” of the former building while incorporating state-of-the-art capabilities to advance the Center’s vital research; • Maintain sight lines to La Jolla Cove from the road above and reduce perception of a large building; • Accommodate the needs of seven different state and federal research groups; • Foster the Center’s multidisciplinary work culture, facilitating daily collaborations among biologists, oceanographers, engineers, population modelers, and economists; • Support training sessions, large scientific symposia and workshops, along with emerging community outreach efforts.

The architectural and engineering challenges were significant: 124,000 SF of building program and 90,000 SF of covered parking had to be carefully arranged on a tight, sloping, environmentally sensitive coastal site. The site had more than 100 feet of grade change from one end to another and only one access point in and out.

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7 research divisions and groups Fisheries Resource Division

Inter-American California Tropical Tuna Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Commission

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parking spots needed.

SWFSC Marine Administration Mammal and Turtle Division

Information Technology Services

Antarctic Ecosystem Research

Existing Pedestrian Walkways Currently the site is a major walkway for students, necessitating the movement of foot traffic around the site.

The Site Situated overlooking La Jolla Cove, the replacement facility is located on an undeveloped site on the inside of a hairpin curve.

It is an unspoiled plot of land overgrown with native coastal landscape and uninterrupted views of the Pacific Ocean.

Hairpin Curve The site is situated on a prominent hairpin curve, making the building visible on all four sides.

Point of Entry The site’s extreme topography provides only one location for access by pedestrians, by car, and by service vehicles Existing Buildings Research buildings of Scripps INstitution of Oceanography.

grade change across the entire site.

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“This is a building that seamlessly blends natural and human environments. It lets in light and air, views of the ocean and the hills, the scent of the sea. Similarly, our research blends human, natural and physical science for the conservation and management of the region’s living marine resources.”

Cisco Werner, PhD Director, Southwest Fisheries Science Center

Underwater Canyon

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Coastline

Site Topography

Built form

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3 Design Solutions

The building was strategically inserted into the steep contours of the site, and the massing was manipulated to maintain ocean views and efficiently accommodate offices and laboratories for 275 scientists, underground parking for 202 cars, a range of conference and seminar rooms, a library, experimental aquaria, a necropsy laboratory and the 528,000-gallon Ocean Technology Development Test Tank—the largest and most sophisticated of its kind in the world.

The five-story building is broken down into smaller structures which are clustered in “villages� no more than two stories tall in order to avoid the feeling of a single large building. A split floor plan with narrow floor plates maximizes sunlight and views for both offices and laboratories. The smaller elements are organized around atrium courtyards; these centers of activity enable researchers to connect for impromptu meetings. The courtyards take full advantage of the mild climate, promote natural ventilation, and foster a sense of scientific community and connectedness to the environment.

The building site is perched at the head

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of the La Jolla Canyon. This canyon, and the adjacent San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park and Ecological Reserves, allow researchers quick access to the deep sea of the Pacific Ocean. The building responds to this topography by utilizing massing

anomalies to create outdoor gathering spaces, rooftop terraces, and courtyards.

As a result, the building responds as a contextual extension of the La Jolla Canyon, while creating different levels of activity for researchers to continue their work.

This is a building that seamlessly blends natural and human environments. It lets in light and air, views of the ocean and the hills, the scent of the sea. Similarly, our research blends human, natural and physical science for the conservation and management of the region’s living marine resources.�

Cisco Werner Director, Southwest Fisheries Science Center

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Block out program We stacked the program to fit it on the site, with the more “daylight intensive� programs on the top.

Open up to views The floor levels were offset to allow daylight and natural ventilation in. The angles were determined by orienting to views.

The Ocean Technology Development Test Tank (Tech Tank), 33’ deep and housed in a five-story volume, is buried into the steepest part of the slope and covered by a green roof terrace planted with a variety of native species, including coastal chaparral and sage. The architecturally distinguished new building has already become 16

Open up to light Open courtyards are cut into the middle of the offices.

an important recruiting tool, attracting talented researchers with its state-of-the-art amenities and uplifting work environment.

The building expresses an openness and relationship to its natural surroundings that is exceptional among federal government facilities. Stepped massing and coastal vegetation-covered terraces create the illusion

PROGRAM 7 User Groups 275 People 202 Cars

that it is receding into the surrounding bluffs.

A material palette of local materials tie it to its Southern California context. It is a modern vernacular solution: one that engages in a dialogue with its physical and cultural surroundings while responding to the ever-changing needs of marine science.

“I love that the building has a campus feel to it—you don’t feel like you’re sequestered in a tall structure. The horizontality and green courtyards create a wonderful working environment. I enjoy the variety of meeting spaces, which we use for everything from impromptu project meetings to larger conferences and workshops.”

Phillip A. Morin, PhD Research Molecular Geneticist, Marine Mammal and Turtle Division

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“I love walking up the open stairwell to my office, seeing the ocean right in front of me and feeling the fresh ocean air. The generous outdoor spaces really add to everyone’s morale.”

Kerri Danil Research Biologist, Marine Mammal and Turtle Division

West Elevation

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4 SWFSC UNIQUE FEATURES

• State-of-the-art 528,000-gallon Ocean

Technology Development Test Tank is among the largest and most sophisticated of its kind in the world.

• Due to traffic requirements caused by the topography around the site, there is only one entry/access point allowed from the street for the entire facility.

Daily office/lab/fieldwork ingress and egress is served and diverted in a complex but successful site entrance sequence.

• Technical spaces that facilitate daily field operations (necropsy suite, walk-in freezer, experimental aquaria and Tech Tank) are easily accessible from the entry level of the site. These programs—along with parking—are located in less daylight-intensive areas so laboratories and offices can reside above ground and benefit from natural light and ventilation.

• Careful planning of office and laboratories create convenient connections for the researchers between their work environments. Coined as “neighborhoods,” these program pieces are meshed together with courtyard and common meeting space at crucial intersections, where interdisciplinary collaboration can happen.

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• Climate-controlled, H3 fire resistance

rated sample archive contains one of the world’s largest ichthyoplankton collections. The building also houses one of the world’s largest tissue collections for marine mammals and marine turtles. turtle and California Current fishes.

• Roof-mounted photovoltaic array currently can provide 7% of building’s energy needs.

• Additional reduction in cooling loads and improved daylighting from an extensive terracotta sunshade array on southern and western exposures.

• Elevated green roof and courtyard environments provide a serene amenity for the building users, while also acting as an embedded teaching tool and extension of the ecosystem science research that takes place in the facility.

Each micro-courtyard space is treated differently due to the three dimensional exposure of each space, much like ecosystems in nature. Plant and soil palettes vary, telling a story about the coastal flora environments surrounding the SWFSC. Welcomed wildlife, such as native hummingbirds, have found homes here to the delight of users and visitors alike.

• The site design and green roofs work

together for zero stormwater runoff.

Stormwater from the roofs is absorbed at the green roof levels and any stormwater that lands on the site is diverted and decelerated via cascading rain gardens that embrace the footprint of the building.

• The building’s staff is provided typical amenities such as secured bicycle parking and changing facilities and electrical vehicle charging stations.

• Separate elevator and access stair enable access to be controlled in and through the building between areas occupied by NOAA’s federal government staff and areas occupied by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) staff.

“The architects have designed a building that captures the ‘courtyard culture’ we enjoyed in our old lab, with natural light, natural ventilation and numerous common areas for people to gather and exchange ideas.”

Roger Hewitt, PhD Assistant Director, SWFSC

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5 RESEARCH

The new facility contains 38 research laboratories and other specialized spaces designed to support the management and conservation of domestic and international living marine resources.

featuring ozone and ultraviolet water treatment systems, protein fractionators and sand filters.

The most sophisticated tank of its kind in the world Addressing the “wet” nature of work The Ocean Technology Development Test Because of the nature of NOAA’s work, a Tank is designed to strengthen NOAA’s number of the laboratories are wet spaces ability to develop and apply advanced in the most literal sense. To offset the contin- technologies for ecosystem-based surveys uous moisture in these areas, all laboratories of fish and protected species, and to foster housing marine animals and aquaria tanks collaborations on ocean sampling technolfeature exposed utility pipes and conduits ogies with local, regional and international hung from the ceilings, troweled-on epoxy partners. Holding 528,000 gallons of water resin or sealed concrete floors and walls, (as much as 25 backyard swimming pools), drains that run into exposed trenches, and it is the only tank of its size in the world that either stainless steel or phenolic casework. can be controlled for both temperature and salinity, and accommodate live animals.

Seawater from the neighboring Pacific From polar to tropical temperatures, and Ocean is used to feed the saltwater life from freshwater to salt, scientists are able support tanks. This seawater is pumped to test their equipment under a broad from inlets at the end of the Scripps Institu- range of conditions prior to deploying tion of Oceanography pier and then sent technology in the field. through a prestrainer into a large settling tank. The water is then filtered through sev- The large volume of the Tech Tank is eral large capacity sand filters and pumped located in the deepest portion of the site to a series of holding tanks before being to minimize its impact on the landscape gravity-fed to labs and aquariums. Once and ensure acoustic isolation. The loading in the aquarium tanks, the water is condock within the building is sized to handle stantly circulated through two-story tanks large tractor-trailers for unloading and

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testing submersible instruments, which are lifted up by one of two cranes and then placed into the tank. Observation happens from two decks surrounding the tank and through nine three-foot by three-foot viewing windows located around the periphery of the tank.

SWFSC researcher Scott Mau pilots the remotely operated vehicle in the Tech Tank

Tech Tank windows for viewing experiments in the tank at eye level

The NOaA Fisheries remotely operated vehicle (ROV), developed by researchers at the SWFSC, is tested in the Tech Tank. This ROV is used to survey rockfishes and abalone and their seabed habitats using high resolution still and video photography.

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• 12-hour re-circulation cycle

“This tank allows us to test the engineering of our instruments under near-real conditions, where you have the variability— whether the tropics, polar seas, surface waters or the deep sea of the oceans—and the presence of live organisms. Having a facility where you can do that is what makes this science center unique.”

Cisco Werner, PhD Director, NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center

Tech Tank Details at a Glance • Size: 33’ wide, 66’ long, 33’ deep • Capacity: 528,000 gallons • Temperature range: 36–86° F • Salinity range: 0 to 35 ppt • Nine observation ports on two decks • Removable trusses and insulated panels covering water surface • Vibration and seismic isolation • Water conditioned using a combination of sand filters, ultraviolet light, ozone and degrassing units • Ability to accommodate live animals 25

“The necropsy room is spacious enough to customize the room set-up for use by 15-20 people. This flexibility has facilitated many training sessions and group necropsies, allowing us to exchange knowledge among our staff and with partner organizations.�

Susan J. Chivers, Ph.D. Marine Mammal and Turtle Division

Animal research as a means to assess health of wild populations The SWFSC has established protocols and enlisted experienced staff to ensure research animals both in the lab and in the field are treated humanely following industry standards, ensuring that high quality science and care go hand in hand.

All tanks housing live animals use temperature-controlled ocean seawater, and many of the tanks mimic the ocean environment. For example, the Abalone Broodstock aquariums mimic the ocean tide and include diurnal lighting that imitates sunrise and sunset. All animals that undergo necropsies have died in their natural environment and were either picked up at sea or have washed ashore.

The versatility of the necropsy lab enables researchers to examine both large and smaller organisms

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A glimpse at some of the key animal research spaces: An 869 SF suite of Necropsy Laboratories allows researchers to conduct comprehensive postmortem examinations of stranded marine animals. Because of the large size of some of the animals being examined— including dolphins, small whales and large fish—a low-profile overhead rail and lift system aids in moving large stranded animals from the necropsy freezer, to the anteroom (thawing room), and then to the necropsy suite and finally to a 60-foot-long throughput freezer. The focal point of the necropsy suite is a large 10-foot animal exam table, which can flex its size with the addition of mobile necropsy tables. An example of this flexibility in use was seen in late 2013 when SWFSC and Scripps Institution of Oceanography researchers necropsied a 14-foot oarfish, a “once in a lifetime fish” according to researchers. The mobile necropsy tables allowed the length of the animal to be supported on the table, while the snorkel systems that attached to the mobile tables helped control fumes. The necropsy served as an important knowledge-sharing opportunity across departments—an activity made possible by the planning and design of the new building.

SWFSC researchers examine a rare oarfish in the necropsy laboratory

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Experimental aquaria enable studies on the the biological and environmental factors influencing the survival and reproduction of fish in the California Current. In the foreground: two cabezon, a popular groundfish found in local waters.

The 4,135 SF Experimental Aquarium is a large open room with no fixed walls, permitting tank sizes, types, and locations to be changed at will. Research efforts are centered on reproduction, culture and early life history of a variety of sea animals, including sardine, rockfish, anchovy and squid. The vast majority of the aquarium’s open floor space is devoted to 18 large, fiberglass tanks, ranging in size from 100 to 2,500 gallons. Retractable blackout curtains surround each tank, aiding in the animal acclimation process.

The purpose of the Abalone Broodstock Labs is to increase populations of this endangered mollusk. Two broodstock rooms 28

include multiple tanks designed to mimic the natural tidepool environment, with water circulating in and out of the tanks throughout the day. Young abalone spawned in these tanks will one day be released to enhance depleted wild populations. An adjacent wet and dry lab enable prep and genetic research work.

The Marine Mammal and Turtle Molecular Research Sample Collection is one of the largest marine mammal and marine turtle sample collections in the world, with over 140,000 tissue samples and over 60,000 DNA samples, spanning over 100 years of collection. Samples are computer-catalogued and stored in special freezers.

A large Ichthyoplankton Collection is also housed at the SWFSC. Samples are fixed and preserved in either formalin or ethanol, and are stored on indexed, rolling shelving racks. Because of the hazardous media in which the specimens are stored, a separate room was created for this collection. The room is negatively pressured, has its own fire suppression system, and includes explosion proof lighting and electrical outlets.

Trench drains are located at the doors to safeguard against potential spills.

A Large Pelagic Wet Lab is used to analyze and prepare a range of biological samples from pelagic species, including tunas, sharks, billfish, and sea turtles. Studies requiring use of this area include but are not limited to age and growth, stomach content analysis, isotope analysis, and reproductive determination.

The building includes an expansive Polymerase Chain Reaction Lab for genetic research, to amplify a single copy or several copies of DNA. The design divides the lab into three separate areas—pre-PCR, post-PCR and an equipment room. Separating the room prevents cross-contamination and provides ample space for research.

“We collaborated with the architects on our laboratory layout because we have a need to separate different procedures. We now have three different lab regions for genetics research: a pre-PCR area, a post-PCR area and an equipment room. This is important to our work because we do genetic studies on many different species, and the separation helps prevent cross-contamination.�

John Hyde, PhD Supervisory Fishery Research Biologist, Fisheries Resources Division

Genetic Instrumentation Laboratory

SWFSC researcher, Stephanie Nehasil, analyzes samples for a study of sea lion feeding ecology under the hood in the necropsy lab

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“One of our most valuable resources for genetics research is our collection of historic tissue and DNA. The collection—close to 200,000 samples—is one of the largest of its kind in the world. It’s irreplaceable. In this building we have a secure, climate controlled space for this important resource that we use every day.”

Gabby Serra-Valente, Collection Curator, Marine Mammal and Turtle Collection

Other Highlighted Laboratory Spaces When researchers come back from a research survey and need to examine specimens they’ve never dealt with before, an 87 SF Biosafety Level 2 Laboratory provides necessary space for dissecting and processing non-indigenous specimens.

chamber system consisting of four parts: a computer stand used for operating the hyperbaric tank, a frame containing the necessary parts for pressurizing the tank, a sump used as a reservoir for the tank, and the hyperbaric tank itself. Instrumentation (hardware and software) used in field studies, whether off the California coast or the AntThe Advanced Survey Technologies Suite arctic, is tested and calibrated in this space. of Laboratories is used to design, develop and refine instrumentation that will improve The goals of the 589 SF Life History/ the accuracy, precision and efficiency of Physiology Lab are to measure and defisheries surveys and thus resulting stock scribe the life history traits of fish, mammal assessments. Examples of advanced surand turtle stocks. Typical activities include vey technologies include: multi-frequency enzyme assays, respiration experiments, acoustic systems, remotely operated vehiand microscopy of hard parts for aging. cles (ROV), instrumented buoys, instrumented small craft, and autonomous underwa- Ancient tissue samples—mainly washed-up bones (some more than 1,000 years old)— ter vehicles (AUV). The AST laboratories are housed in a 163 SF Ancient DNA Lab. provide space for the design, testing and Scientists use this space for genetic processcalibration of these instruments. One of the spaces is used to operate a hyperbaric ing and research.

Large Pelagic Laboratory

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6 COLLABORATION

More than 20 meeting and collaborative work spaces of different sizes—from small seminar rooms to large conference rooms to outdoor courtyards—are interspersed throughout the design of the SWFSC. Dubbed with names like the “Albacore Room” and the “Krill Room,” the interior meeting spaces are equipped with stateof-the-art videoconferencing technology that allows SWFSC scientists to collaborate remotely with scientists working in other regions. They also enhance collaboration among scientists within, providing a place to hold a project meeting or quickly visualize data on a large screen.

“The architects shared with us their vision of making the communal spaces of the building the best spaces—so these views can belong to everyone. When you spend time in these spaces, you feel that you’re a part of something bigger.”

Roger Hewitt, PhD Assistant Director, SWFSC

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“The building has enabled us to hold conferences and workshops with people from all over the world. All of the science we do is collaborative, so being able to communicate effectively with our collaborators is critical.�

Phillip A. Morin, PhD Research Molecular Geneticist, Marine Mammal and Turtle Division

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7 SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

For a building dedicated to marine ecosystem health, sustainable design was critical.

However, laboratories on average have consume about five times more energy per square foot than a typical office building.

Energy reduction strategies include: • 30% of roof covered by native vegetation, including coastal chaparral and sage, insulating the building from temperature shifts; • 100% of parking covered to reduce heat island effect; • Rooftop photovoltaic array designed to offset 7% of the building’s energy needs; • Narrow floor plates allow daylight to permeate office, lab and meeting spaces; • Fan-assisted natural ventilation in office spaces furthers direct connection to the marine environment; • Terracotta solar shading arrays outside west- and south-facing windows substantially reduce the building’s cooling loads.

“We have created an extraordinary work environment that addresses our organization’s unique mission, has the infrastructure necessary to reduce environmental impacts and the potential to achieve operational goals. It makes me proud and inspires me to continue optimizing our building’s performance.”

Matthew Vogel, Facility Manager, SWFSC

As importantly, they reflect the Southern California coastal vernacular of outdoor terraces, courtyards, local materials, and local coastal plantings, all of which embeds the building in its place and connects researchers to the environment they are so dedicated to preserving.

Operable windows allow researchers in their offices to control access to fresh air while high ceilings, ceiling fans and return air intake above the windows provide low tech, energy efficient means of controlling workplace temperatures. Occupancy sensors and thermostats control the exhaust dampers.

Altogether, These features reduce projected Other sustainable strategies include: energy use by 33% compared to similar • Local building materials, including buildings, and require 69% less cooling concrete and stucco; energy than that required by ASHRAE 90.1• Drought-resistant native coastal 2004, contributing to a LEED Gold rating. landscaping; 36

• Irrigation system employs numerous

water-saving technologies including a smart, weather-based controller, automatic shutoff during rain events, and shutdown in the event of a water line break; • Stormwater run-off from 90% of the average annual rainfall at the site is treated on-site via a series of planted terraces such that 80% of the average annual post-development Total Suspended Solids (TSS) are removed; • Water used in the Ocean Technology Test Tank is natural ocean water, piped in from the Pacific Ocean only a few hundred yards away; • During construction, the total percentage of construction waste diverted from landfills was 78% (1,849 tons diverted from the waste stream compared to the 2,374 tons generated).

CONTEXTUAL materials Exterior concrete and stucco are local and contextual; while terracotta is vernacular + TERRACOTTA SUNSHADES maximize daylighting of low sun, minimize glare, and absorb exterior heat, contribute to reducing the amount of cooling required by 69%

PUBLIC AND ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORT Siting near a local bus stop encourages public transportation use. An interior shower is also provided for bicycle commuting.

LANDSCAPED ROOF TERRACES Planted with native coastal chaparral reduce the heat island effect and stormwater run-off

DAYLIGHT-VIEWS, AND VENTILATION Almost all office environments have access to daylight, views, and natural ventilation

High albedo roofing Non-vegetated roofs are bright to reflect heat and keep cool interiors + PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS Energized by the high sun, they offset 7% of the building’s overall electricity demand

Reduce heat islands From parking Required parking stalls are located inside the building footprint underneath the main green roof + Electric charging stations are provided for electric vehicles

Embedded program Scientist benefit from stable temperatures and acoustic isolation resulting from embedding ocean technology test tank into the hillside

Stormwater treatment Stormwater is directed and treated on site in a series of retention basins before being released

Native landscape restoration Water-efficient, low maintenance native coastal plantings on site, were protected and restored

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“The combination of fresh air, natural light, open space and expansive views to the sea, create both a wonderfully healthy and scientifically productive place to work.�

Sarah Mesnick, PhD Marine Mammal Ecologist/Science Liaison

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