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Laboratories for the 21st Century
3 Measurement Data
Table 1 summarizes the measurement data as well as the area and type for each laboratory. The
footnotes provide more information on the measurement approach for each building. The
laboratory type was characterized by the measurement personnel, and as such do not necessarily
refer to any standard definitions for type.
Table 1: Measured peak equipment loads in various laboratory spaces
Max
Max
Max
Bldg
Space
Area
Interval
Inst.
Inst.
ID
ID
(sf)
Lab Type
Avg W/sf
W/sf
VA/sf
A
1
850
Biology
1.68
4.99
5.14
2
307
Biology
8.64
18.61
18.73
3
833
Biology
1.83
4.32
4.50
4
308
Biology
9.94
17.83
19.69
5
831
Chemistry
3.13
4.97
5.45
6
835
Chemistry
3.69
7.50
8.05
7
832
Chemistry
2.16
7.05
7.07
8
828
Chemistry
1.77
4.13
4.35
9
459
Equipment
6.02
29.07
40.00
10
306
Equipment
16.73
30.81
32.56
11
1082
Isotope
8.07
15.29
15.83
B
1
1071
Biology
4.09
6.71
7.18
2
711
Elec Microscope
9.33
18.21
19.33
3
642
Env. Rooms
2.80
8.47
8.73
4
646
Instrument
2.27
5.29
5.57
C
1
665
Biology
9.00
n/a
n/a
2
790
Biology
6.11
n/a
n/a
3
665
Biology
6.03
n/a
n/a
4
500
Equipment
7.86
n/a
n/a
5
500
Equipment
18.62
n/a
n/a
D
1
1121
Biology
3.22
4.19
4.40
2
1121
Biology
3.92
6.00
6.48
3
1138
Biology
3.32
3.89
4.24
4
1138
Biology
1.85
2.26
2.52
5
1139
Biology
1.14
3.38
5.87
6
1139
Biology
2.00
2.40
7.30
7
1133
Biology
5.87
7.34
7.89
E
1
562
Biology
n/a
n/a
5.64
2
N/A
Biology
n/a
n/a
5.87
3
N/A
Biology
n/a
n/a
6.61
4
1222
Biology
n/a
n/a
5.85
F
1
2052
Biology
9.00
n/a
n/a
2
5843
Biology
3.52
n/a
n/a
G
1
1763
Nanofab Suite
n/a
n/a
4.83
H
1
825
Dry lab
n/a
n/a
10.91
2
541
Dry lab
n/a
n/a
2.01
I
1
1152
Biology
n/a
n/a
1.66
2
1190
Biology
n/a
n/a
2.66
3
1049
Bio Lab Support
n/a
n/a
7.53
Peak Equipment Loads - Technical Bulletin
12 September 2007
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Laboratories for the 21st Century
Table 1 Footnotes - measurement approach for each building:
• Buildings A,B,C: Continuous instantaneous measurements; Averaged at 15 minute intervals; Instantaneous
measurements are non-coincident sum of three phases.
• Building D: Continuous instantaneous measurements; Averaged at 5 minute intervals.
• Building E: Instantaneous measurements at 30 minute intervals.
• Building F: Continuous instantaneous measurements; Averaged at 15 minute intervals
• Buildings G, H: No documentation of measurement approach
• Building I: Instantaneous measurements at 15 minute intervals
4 Analysis
4.1 Maximum Interval Average W/sf for Different Laboratory Types
Figure 1 shows the maximum interval average W/sf in biology labs. The data show a wide range
in loads in biology labs, from just over 1 W/sf to almost 10 W/sf. Figure 2 shows the correlation
between lab area and the maximum interval average W/sf for biology labs. The data suggest that
smaller labs tend to have higher equipment load densities - possibly because smaller labs may
have more equipment per unit area as well as less diversity in loads due to less total equipment.
Figure 3 shows the maximum interval average W/sf in chemistry labs and equipment rooms. All
the chemistry labs had less than 4 W/sf. Loads in equipment rooms, which typically contain
shared equipment with lillle or no bench space, can exceed 15 W/sf.
Max of Interval Avg W/sf
i N) -fck O) CO O N)
Maximum of Interval Average W/sf - Biology Labs
—
—
I—I
¦ ¦III
i—i
i—i
i-
i—i
n
—
D5 A1 A3 D4 D6 D1 D3 F2 D2 B1 D7 C3 C2 A2 F1 C1 A4
Building/Space ID
Figure 1 Maximum Interval Average W/sf in biology labs
Peak Equipment Loads - Technical Bulletin 12 September 2007
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Laboratories for the 21st Century
Lab Area vs. Max Interval Avg W/sf in Biology Labs
s>
>
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>
15
10
4- 5
A J
X
ra
w
~
~
~
~
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2 4?
R = 0.61
~
~
200 400 600 800
Lab Area (sf)
1000
1200
Figure 2 Correlation between lab area and Maximum Interval Average W/sf for biology labs.
(Two high lab area outliers removed.)
Maximum of Interval Average W/sf - Chemistry Labs, Equipment Rooms
20
-X! 15
§ 15
s>
>
<
> 10
<1)
C
o
s 5
A8
A7 A5
Chemistry Labs
A6
Lab ID
A9 C4 A10
Equipment Rooms
C5
Figure 3 Maximum Interval Average W/sf in chemistry labs and equipment rooms
4.2 Comparison of Instantaneous and Interval Average loads
Figure 4 and Figure 5 compare instantaneous loads and interval average loads in Buildings A and
D respectively. The data show that peak interval loads are significantly lower than peak
instantaneous loads. This suggests that sizing HVAC systems based on instantaneous loads can
result in significant over-sizing.
Peak Equipment Loads - Technical Bulletin
12 September 2007
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Laboratories for the 21st Century
Comparison of Interval and Instantaneous Loads in Building A
<
>
c
Q>
T3
TO
O
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.» .» .» v» y* y y ^ *> *
v 8
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o
5 6
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at
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T3
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1-Biology 2-Biology 3-Biology 4-Biology 5-Biology 6-Biology 7-Biology
Lab Space ID and Type
~ Max Interval Avg W/sf ¦ Max Inst. W/sf 0 Max Inst. VA/sf
Figure 5 Comparison of instantaneous and interval average loads in lab spaces in Building D.
5 Conclusion
This bulletin presented measured equipment load data from various laboratory spaces while they
were nominally fully occupied. For HVAC sizing, the key metric of interest is the maximum
Interval Average W/sf. The data for this metric show a wide range in biology labs, from just over
Peak Equipment Loads - Technical Bulletin
12 September 2007
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Laboratories for the 21st Century
1 W/sf to almost 10 W/sf. All the chemistry labs had less than 4 W/sf. Loads in equipment
rooms can exceed 15 W/sf. These data may be used as a "sanity check" for design assumptions in
a new laboratory project. However, laboratories tend to have unique loads and operational
characteristics. Therefore, for the new design or major retrofit projects, it is strongly
recommended that the measurements be taken in a comparable laboratory that has similar
functions and operational characteristics.
6 References
Right-sizing Laboratory Equipment Loads, Labs21 Best Practice Guide. Available on the web:
http://www.labs21century.gov/ toolkit/bp_guide.htm
7 Acknowledgements
Measurement data were provided by: William Brewer, Duke University; Steve Greenberg and
David Heinzerling, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; William Starr, University of
California, Davis; Patrick Testoni, University of California Santa Cruz; Mike Walters, Affiliated
Engineers Inc. This bulletin was technically reviewed by Dan Amon, U.S. EPA, and Otto
VanGeet, National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
For more information on this bulletin:
Paul Mathew, Ph.D.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
1 Cyclotron Road, MS 90-3111
Berkeley CA 94720
510-486-5116
PAMathew@lbl.gov
For more information on Laboratories for the 21st Century:
Dan Anion, P.E. Will Lintner, P.E.
National Energy Manager Federal Energy Management Program
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Department of Energy
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. 1000 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20460 Washington, D.C. 20585-0121
202-564-7509 202.586.3120
amon.dan@epa.gov wilHam.lintner@ee.doe.gov
Laboratories for the 21s Century
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Administration and Resource Management
www.labs21century.gov
In partnership with the
U.S. Department of Energy
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Bringing you a prosperous future where energy
Is clean, abundant, reliable, and affordable
www.eere.energy.gov
Prepared at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
A DOE national laboratory
Peak Equipment Loads - Technical Bulletin
12 September 2007
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