The project included boilers, chillers, heat recovery chillers, and a low temperature chilled water loop process that serves potato coolers, as well as the terminal equipment serving the building. The laboratories have complex systems, including compressed air, deionized water systems, and a refrigeration skid that serves freezers and large built-in-place walk-in coolers that provide optimal storage temperatures for preserving potatoes for genetic research, along with other crops and grains. Specialty and custom growth chambers and greenhouses are also served from the main chilled water and heating systems. The combination of a variety of cooling demands created complex sequencing and control requirements to maintain design conditions throughout all areas of the facility. The laboratory is shared by multiple departments with varying requirements.
Early in the project, KFI worked with NDSU departments, the controls contractor, and other contractors as necessary to understand the needs and expectations of each department and verify the project was delivered correctly.
Through early collaboration and comprehensive commissioning, KFI helped translate the varied requirements of NDSU’s research departments into coordinated building system performance. The result is a reliable, integrated laboratory environment capable of maintaining the precise conditions required for advanced agricultural research and crop preservation.
