PORTFOLIO
NIST Advanced Chemical Sciences Laboratory
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Housing the testing facilities for the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, this 210,000 square foot building includes 152 laboratories and administrative office areas. The projects demanding specifications and exacting requirements presented an opportunity to showcase the advanced abilities of the highly qualified construction team assembled to handle the complex mechanical package. Kirlin provided the mechanical design, construction and installation of the building's plumbing, HVAC piping and ductwork, insulation, fire protection, and building automation systems.
The building laboratory facilities include 45 laboratory modules constructed on non-metallic or specially coated materials to accommodate their high sensitivity. All laboratories are served with 100 percent out side air. Each laboratory is fed with an average of nine different utilities routed through fume hoods and benchtop fixtures. Some 5,000 linear feet of high pressure, high-purity stainless steel laboratory gas tubing was installed, much of it requiring orbital welding. More than 2,100 feet of underground steam, chilled water, and other utility piping services the building. Twenty-seven air handlers were installed, including 14 booster units, to serve laboratories requiring close tolerances for temperature and humidity.
Additional mechanical systems installed included: reverse osmosis; pure steam; "washed" perchloric acid exhaust; laboratory dry air; laboratory vacuum; high, medium and low pressure plant steam; dehumidification; laboratory and domestic hot & cold water.
