"The sustainability of the environment shapes the quality of life for today as well as the economy on which we all depend."
Encon’s Green Vision is simple, "We provide for the needs of the present without detracting from the ability to fulfill the needs of the future."
Encon Group, Inc. believes we are responsible for sustainable design solutions which provide healthy buildings that are aesthetically pleasing, use less energy, deplete fewer natural resources, generate less waste, provide flexible environments for their occupants, and are within the client's budget. Encon Group has embraced the U.S. Building Council's LEED® Green Building Rating System as a useful framework for measuring sustainability. We have LEED® accredited professionals and many experienced engineers and support staff that believe in this, and it is our mission to stand by this statement. Sustainability has always been an important aspect of our design philosophy and we are pleased to have provided the MEP design on multiple projects that have achieved LEED® Gold, Silver, and certified status.
We seek opportunities for energy savings and recycling and for the integration of high performance MEP systems. Encon is a member of USGBC as well as its local National Capital Chapter. We are familiar with the USGBC LEED rating system and have completed LEED CI projects for PNC Bank and others. Encon Group has 10 LEED Accredited Professionals on its technical staff. Below are some examples of how we are striving to implement green technology.
Fire Protection / Life Safety:
Biotech manufacturing and laboratory facilities routinely involve storage, handling, treatment and/or disposal of hazardous chemicals. The project team has experience with finding creative and cost effective solutions to these issues.
As an example, Encon has design reagent and waste handling systems as part of DNA and siRNA synthesis facilities. The systems involved solutions for the bulk delivery, storage, distribution to synthesis platforms, post synthesis recovery, and bulk waste storage of chemicals including acetonitrile, dichloromethanol, trichloroacetic acid, and iodine.
Encon has experience with bulk storage facilities for strong oxidizers such as kaotropic salts (guanidine hydrochloride) and other routine chemicals used at these facilities, including CIP chemicals, acids, bases, ph neutralization chemicals, etc.
Encon performs life safety review for each project and is particularly experienced with evaluation of the codes with respect to laboratories. Encon has designed specialized fire protection systems to handle laboratories and storage rooms containing large quantities of hazardous chemicals, for radioisotope laboratories, and specialized system for data centers.
Indoor Air Quality:
Encon evaluates indoor air quality in each of its designs and utilizes ventilation rates to meet ASHRAE 62.1, Ventilation for Acceptable Air Quality. Inclusion of CO2 monitoring for energy and air quality is a common aspect of our ventilation design. Evaluation of ventilation rates for LEED points is also a common topic of Encon’s design meetings.
Encon has direct experience in working with clients to evaluate indoor air quality in older facilities and assisting our clients in finding creative and innovative solutions to improve trouble areas to meet current standards and codes.
Energy/Water Conservation:
Encon has performed energy recovery studies for facilities using large numbers of laboratory fume hoods and have created innovating solutions for energy reclaim from these exhaust streams. Encon has also worked with clients to reclaim the ‘grey water’ reject from high purity water treatment systems, reducing the client’s municipal water consumption and reducing utility bills.
Encon has also design heat reclamation systems for vivariums, making use of the 100% outside air ventilation stream.
There are multiple definitions of sustainability. All the definitions marry the following themes:
Environmental protection does not preclude economic development.
Economic development must be ecologically viable now and in the long run.
Sustainable engineering design is integral to our design philosophy at Encon Group. We strive to implement sustainable engineering practices and principles in all our design by seeking integrated opportunities for energy and water recycling, and for high performance MEP systems. Our projects have continued to focus on advancing the science of sustainable solutions by integrating engineering and architectural systems and applying the latest techniques to inform design, and using the latest technology to develop our work product. Almost half the greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to buildings, and we are committed to doing something about it!
We help the architect in building, site and skin design, and in developing internal MEP pathways conducive to high performance systems. In the design of the MEP installation itself, we strive for systems that help provide fresh, light, healthy, airy conditions and that are low energy and easy to maintain. Natural lighting, solar thermal and PV, rainwater harvesting and water recycling are all part of our design considerations.
