DSM Laboratory 6, Delft

Balancing flexibility and optimal use of building infrastructure

Lab 6 is part of the DSM Biotechnology Centre, Delft, replacing the outdated Lab 5. The building design is for a four-storey building with critical systems such as electrical power generation and central IT facilities on the ground floor and technical support areas at roof level. This fourth floor holds air handling systems and cooling generation. The central steam generated heating plant laboratory gas supply units are located in two separate side buildings.

The foyer and meeting rooms are located on the ground floor, with the first three floors housing office and laboratory spaces with the flexibility to easily switch the function.

Sustainability

The design team introduced sustainability targets based on the BREEAM methodology, and specifically the BREEAM-NL ‘Very good’ certificate. The BREEAM Quickscan and the BREEAM measures were incorporated in the design which led excellent energy savings.

The energy performance requirements and strict indoor temperature requirements resulted in a 25% closed façade, based on the angle of sunlight thereby saving on cooling energy. Several energy and water saving techniques and all monitoring of energy flows enable a full view of building and system energy consumption.

Deerns Solutions

Deerns’ consultancy services covered the entire building system framework for which we provided the technical requirements along with relevant design choices for the schematic design. The quantity and quality characteristics of the technical installations are based on a careful analysis of current and future laboratory requirements. Installation systems are compact, allowing for future modifications, preventing unnecessary over-sized installations with high investment costs.

Technical and financial feasibility were also checked in the design phase. Building Information Modelling (BIM) for detailed design and full design for contractor tendering ensured optimisation of space usage and coordination within the design team. Deerns supervised construction of all mechanical, electrical and transport systems.

Scope of Deerns

Deerns was involved in all technical aspects of the project including:

The quantity and quality characteristics of the technical installations are based on a careful analysis of the current and future laboratory requirements. The set-up of the installations is very compact and allow for future modifications, preventing unnecessary over-sized installations with high investment costs.

• Newly developed “Dutch Climate Façade”
• BREEAM Very Good for building design
• Flexible MEP systems
• IT, control, security, process utility systems and transport systems