Efficient Buildings

The 65,000 square-foot Research Support Building consolidates frequently-visited administrative and support functions in a single location to provide efficient services to Brookhaven National Laboratory employees, guests, users, and visitors. It was awarded a LEED silver rating by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2008.

The LEED green building rating system provides credits for satisfying specified criteria. Projects are evaluated within five categories — sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental qualities.

The site selected for the Research Support Building earned green points because it's located in an area that was already partially developed, contained no endangered species, and was not near wetlands. Also, Brookhaven Lab agreed to preserve open space double the size of the building in a wooded, eastern portion of its site for the life of the building. Preferred parking is provided for carpool vehicles, and the building has changing rooms and showers for those who commute to work by bicycle. Outdoor lighting is subdued to reduce light pollution.

To gain points in water efficiency, landscaping was planned so that plantings around the building require minimum irrigation, and no outdoor sprinklers were installed. Efficient toilets and electronic sensors on faucets help reduce water use by more than 20 percent compared to the required baseline.

The building is designed to ensure low energy and maintenance costs, earning numerous points in the category of energy and atmosphere. Installing an additional six inches of insulation in the exterior walls helps increase energy efficiency by 20 percent. The building is connected to the Laboratory’s site-wide energy management control system which monitors and controls heating and cooling, saving energy.