Williams Engineering acted as the prime consultant and supplied mechanical engineering services for a $1.2 million laboratory space fit-up at the University of Lethbridge. The new laboratory space in the basement of the Life Sciences Building became the Aquatic Research Facility.
Integral to the design were the following features:
- A chilled water system, including three water-cooled chillers, capable of providing supply water as low as -6°C
- A process cold and warm water supply circulation system that includes activated carbon, sand, and dolomite filtration
- UV light treatment and degassing towers are incorporated in a loop throughout the research spaces and back to a holding tank in the mechanical room.
- Effluent storage and treatment system
- Oxygen system
- Oil-free compressed air system
Key criteria for the design were built-in redundancy to ensure system operation in the event of equipment failure and the ability to handle diversified loads as researchers change and modify experiments within their dedicated laboratory space.