LEED Silver | 2024 | 101,085 sq ft | Ames, Iowa

Iowa State University hosts the oldest veterinary college in the United States. A national leader in protecting animal and human health, the full-service laboratories at the VDL process upwards of 127,000 cases each year and conduct more than 1.7 million tests annually. The Veterinary Diagnostic Lab is the first step of a multi-phase new construction project designed to give ISU students a premier facility so they can continue to conduct research, collaborate, and provide quality care for their patients.

• No outdoor irrigation required

Labs often face significant energy use challenges. Due to the use of potentially hazardous chemicals in the day-to-day operations of the researchers, stringent air quality standards require increased air flow and negative ventilation, which results in high energy consumption from the HVAC system. At the VDL, biosafety and bio-security containment were priorities. The team approached this challenge by maximizing efficiency throughout the entire system design, which resulted in a 30% reduction in annual energy consumption. This equates to annual energy savings of over $195,000, giving the upgraded equipment a return on investment of less than 3 years.

• EV charging stations

• Native landscaping

• Open-concept, flexible labs

Architect: Invision

Architect II: Strang
MEP Engineer: IMEG, Strang

Civil: Snyder & Associates

Structural: IMEG
Contractor: The Weitz Company

Commissioning: Cornerstone

Structural: Raker Rhodes Engineering

LEED Consultant: C-Wise Design & Consulting

• Biosafety and biosecurity measures

• Daylighting and views

• Enhanced air quality

• Future adaptability

• 39% annual water use reduction