The University at Buffalo embarked on a renovation project that reconfigured the first and second floors of the University’s New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences building to provide incubator and entrepreneur support space for growing companies. The intent was to help connect ideas to action and move research from the lab to the marketplace.  Popli Design Group (PDG) was retained to provide mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineering for the areas being renovated.

PDG’s mechanical engineers modified an existing ductwork system to work for the new layout. A load calculation was done to determine the cooling needed for the rooms in the redesigned configuration. As a value engineering measure, all of the existing VAVs were reused and relocated to serve the loads of the new rooms. Ductwork was rerouted as necessary, and new ceiling diffusers and grilles were installed to the new ceiling grid layout. PDG’s electrical team provided power, fire alarm, access control, data special systems, as well as lighting design for interior areas. Plumbing design services included demolishing the existing kitchenette and installing fixtures and piping for a new kitchenette in a different location. Fixtures and piping were added for a new maternity room. Fire protection included demolishing the old sprinkler heads and piping new sprinkler heads for the new ceiling grid layout.