Columbia University to begin construction on New York City’s first all-electric academic research building

Columbia University will soon begin construction on New York City’s first all-electric academic research building. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), the 80,700-sf building for the university’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons will provide eight floors of biomedical research and lab facilities as well as symposium and community engagement spaces. 

With a design that uses significantly less energy than similar buildings, the Biomedical Research Building will outperform emission limits set by local law and is expected to perform 30% more efficiently than the commercial building benchmark. The facility also supports Columbia University’s plan to introduce no new fossil fuel infrastructure into campus buildings and to achieve campus-wide net-zero emissions by 2050. 

Because laboratories have greater ventilation requirements than other buildings, they require more robust mechanical systems, which typically result in increased energy usage. The design team worked with sustainability consultant Atelier Ten to create an all-electric research lab building that could handle the facility’s high heating loads. 

The Biomedical Research Building is heated and cooled with electric air source heat pumps that allow for energy recovery between the heating and cooling fluids, providing periods of free tempering during the year. Air-side energy recovery systems use waste heat to reduce the total energy needed to condition the building. 

The high-performance façade features a window-to-wall ratio below 50%. Exterior shading and a louver system reduce solar heat gain and glare while reflecting natural light into the labs.

The building’s design integrates biophilic elements such as green walls and natural and renewable materials in collaboration spaces. A large connecting stair encourages active circulation, and corner lounges foster collaboration among researchers.

On the Building Team:
Architect: Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) 
MEP engineer: AKF Group
Structural engineer: Hatfield Group
Sustainability consultant: Atelier Ten 
Lab planning consultant: Jacobs 
Construction manager: LF Driscoll Healthcare