UCLA PLANT PHYSIOLOGY CENTER
Los Angeles, California

Architect: Paul Murdoch Architects

Services Provided:
Mechanical and Plumbing

IBE Consulting Engineers provided mechanical and plumbing engineering services for this 20,000 sq. ft. research greenhouse located adjacent to the UCLA botanical gardens. The project construction cost was $6.3 million. Design started in March 2000 and the project was completed in June 2003. The project received an NIH grant for construction thereby receiving reviews by UCLA and NIH.

Contained in the structure are six greenhouses, a teaching greenhouse, head house, tissue culture lab, media prep lab, offices, and storage.

The greenhousese are fully air conditioned to maintain 72 degrees Fahrenheit, using computation fluid dynamics to study and maintain the airflow within the greenhouse. Air is supplied at 3 feet above the floor at 45 degrees upwards. To avoid shadows, there is no exposed ducting within the greenhouse.

Air conditioning units are located on the lower floor with all mechanical equipment. The system utilizes campus chilled water and steam. The low floor-to-floor heights required in detailed coordination between all the disciplines to ensure integrated and reliable systems.

Design of the controls included a fully integrated greenhouse controls system, which not only controlled the mechanical systems but also the lighting and the shade curtains. Plumbing design included specialized water treatment such as deionized water, fertilized water and tempered water, compressed air, and vacuum system.