Ipswich, MA
New England Biolabs, Garden Expansion
Scope/Solutions
New England Biolabs needed additional laboratory and office space and wanted a building that would fit with the existing campus structures and landscaping. The new three-story building is nestled into the slope to minimize its scale, while its green roof, large terrace, and multistory bridge connect it with the site and existing main building. SGH consulted on the building enclosure for the project, including the new bridge and building featuring curtain wall and pre-patinated copper panel rainscreens designed to complement the main building.
SGH collaborated with the design team on the below-grade and terrace waterproofing, exterior wall assemblies, and roofing for the new building. Highlights of our work include:
- Reviewing the building enclosure design for airtightness, watertightness, thermal performance, condensation resistance, and constructability
- Helping establish performance criteria for the project specifications
- Participating in a design-assist process for the curtain wall and canopy glazing, helping select a curtain wall subcontractor, collaborating with the team to develop the design, and visiting the curtain wall subcontractor manufacturing facility to observe fabrication processes and quality control procedures
- Evaluating various roofing systems for the green roof spaces
- Consulting on the pre-patinated copper panels and helping the design team achieve an aesthetic that matches the existing building
- Developing details for the various building enclosure systems, including transitions between assemblies and expansion joints to isolate new and existing construction
- Performing infrared surveys to identify thermal anomalies in the roof assembly that could be associated with wet roofing materials
- Provided construction phase services, including reviewing contractor submittals, visiting the site to observe the enclosure’s installation to compare with the design intent, and helping the contractor address complex field conditions
Photo by Robert Benson
Photo by Robert Benson
Photo by Robert Benson
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Project Summary
2023
Completion Date
165K
Project Size
Solutions
New Construction
Services
Building Enclosures | Applied Science & Research
Markets
Commercial | Health Care & Life Sciences
Client(s)
Architectural Resources Cambridge
Specialized Capabilities
Facades & Glazing | Roofing & Waterproofing | Environmental Simulations
Key team members
Additional Projects
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The Possible Zone (TPZ) is a Boston-based nonprofit helping local high school students grow their entrepreneurship, design, and creative skills. SGH provided structural and building enclosure engineering services for the rehabilitation.
Northeast
275 Wyman Street
SGH was the structural engineer for the five-story office building, plaza structure, and parking garage, and also consulted on the building enclosure and plaza waterproofing.