The project: The Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Center is home to the EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Ground Water and Ecosystems Restoration Division, and Office of Administration and Research Support. Renovate the Agency’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) to accommodate consolidation of multiple laboratories.

The goal: Consolidate the existing Region 6 (R6) laboratory in Houston, Texas to the agency’s ORD laboratory in Ada, Oklahoma.

Design approach: To accomplish this, existing ORD personnel and functions needed to be consolidated to the first and third floors of the facility. This then made the second floor, along with additional space in the LCC building, and the Main building basement available to support the R6 functions. Due to funding profiles, this work was designed to be constructed over three phases. The project will be completed in three phases.

Phase 1: Renovation to the existing second- floor labs which will be reconfigured to meet the needs and uses of the R6 labs. No major modifications to the existing building systems and infrastructure were required, only minor modifications to support the new configuration and the replacement of fume hoods with high performance, low-flow models in accordance with EPA standards. The second-floor laboratory HVAC control systems were also upgraded, including replacement of the supply and exhaust air valves and associated laboratory control components. The design upgrades were intentionally limited to ensure that the revisions did not violate the existing facilities energy saving performance contract requirements.

Phase 2: Renovate the existing library on Level 1 within the LCC building to provide for a smaller library with the remaining space renovated into a café. The basement level was then renovated into a new glassware prep room. Additionally, each floor in the main building is designed to have a new electrical and an IT room for future services.

Phase 3: Basement-level renovation of the Main Building were designed for new R6 laboratories. Based on EPA standards, this includes lab modules and laboratory types, including new, stand-alone infrastructure, and utility meters for electricity and natural gas. The new infrastructure equipment is located on- grade between the Main building and the LCC.

Project outcome: Detailed design to accommodate all aspects of the consolidation have been provided by the A/E team members. Due to the expertise in laboratory design, the IMEG team worked diligently in providing infrastructure systems that are both energy efficient, meet all federal guidelines, and economically feasible.