Basic Science Research Building

Shah Smith & Associates, Inc. provided all electrical engineering design services associated with this 525,000 SF research facility.

The space includes six laboratory floors, two vivarium floors, transgenic mice facilities, one intermediate mechanical level, and two penthouse mechanical levels.  Each floor, including the basement, has an eight foot high interstitial floor for routing of mechanical ductwork, piping, and electrical conduit.  This allows for ease of maintenance of equipment and for renovations while minimizing the disruption of the laboratory operations.

The electrical system includes a new electrical vault service from Reliant Energy.  SSA provided coordination drawings for the installation of the Reliant Energy vault.

The emergency power requirements are served by five 1500 kW standby power generators.  These generators provide power for life safety loads, critical mechanical equipment, and the entire vivarium HVAC system.  These generators were synchronized to a common bus to provide maximum diversity and increased reliability.