January 30, 2024
Vancouver, British Columbia - In a significant milestone for sustainable infrastructure, the TRIUMF TR-24 IAMI Facility at the University of British Columbia (UBC) has been granted LEED Silver through the Canada Green Building Council. This recognition underscores our commitment to environmental stewardship and innovative design demonstrated by this cutting-edge facility.
Lab equipment, such as the cyclotrons and hot cells require a lot of energy to operate making it one of the most energy and carbon intensive types of building. Despite that, the TRIUMF IAMI base building still saves more than 50% in energy!
The TRIUMF IAMI Facility's commitment to sustainability is evident in its comprehensive Sustainable Laboratory Program Implementation Plan. Inspired by the UBC Green Labs Program, this initiative focuses on reducing environmental impact through targeted strategies. Key goals include achieving 75% recycling for non-hazardous lab plastic and Styrofoam, minimizing hazardous waste disposal, and implementing energy-efficient practices such as reducing hood extraction energy consumption and optimizing cold storage opening times. Water management strategies aim at a 5% reduction in potable water usage. The facility embraces innovative stormwater management, water reuse, drought-tolerant landscaping, sub-metering, and excess heat recovery. Energy-conscious features include variable flow fume hoods, MERV 13 filters, LED lighting, and an advanced energy sub-metering system, showcasing a holistic approach to sustainability in scientific infrastructure.
The TRIUMF TR-24 IAMI Facility stands as a symbol of technological advancement, geared towards providing redundancy and enhanced capacity to produce mission-critical radioisotopes. The primary focus of this facility is to house a state-of-the-art TR-24 cyclotron, along with laboratories approved by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) and compliant with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). The facility also includes strategically designed office spaces and labs dedicated to the production of radioisotopes for clinical use in British Columbia and beyond, as well as for research purposes.
The project's significance lies in its dedication to meeting the rigorous standards required to produce products intended for clinical use. To achieve this, the facility boasts cGMP Health Canada Grade C Labs equipped with Grade A, B, and C hot cells. Additional support spaces include TR-24 technical rooms, two Quality Control rooms, a receiving and shipping component, Cyclotron Control room, Change Rooms, and Mechanical/Electrical spaces.
In achieving LEED Silver certification, the TRIUMF TR-24 IAMI Facility at UBC stands as a testament to the intersection of cutting-edge scientific innovation and environmental consciousness. As it continues to contribute to the production of radioisotopes vital for medical and research applications, the facility sets a benchmark for sustainable design in scientific infrastructure.