The Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (NRI) building at Texas Children’s Hospital in the US has secured LEED Gold from the US Green Building Council.
The building has been designed by Perkins+Will with Tellepsen serving as the contractor. It covers 13 floors and features open labs known as collaboratories. The facility imbibes a host of eco-friendly elements. It includes incorporation of a demand-controlled ventilation system which has reaped energy cost cuts of 35% off the baseline for lab buildings. Installation of a daylight harvesting system further reduces energy usage by allowing 98.5% natural light penetration in all regularly occupied areas.
The facility has also been equipped with sunshade devices, light shelves, and sloped ceilings which increase natural light circulation in its labs and hence, slash energy consumption for lighting. It sports an indoor environmental quality system and a tight building envelope which cuts down energy usage in the mechanical system. Use of reclaimed and locally-sourced building materials adds to the sustainability.