Critical Environments
Where Precision Counts
Want to discuss a custom solution to your unique problem?
If you have a project that requires thinking outside-the-box, IBS can help.
Often times, a creative approach to a problem can yield a better solution than the industry standard method. This is precisely what we pride ourselves on at IBS – innovative solutions that work.
Through an extensive communication process with our clients, we are able to truly understand what they want and need to accomplish. From there, we tap in to our years of industry experience, and provide a custom, design-build solution with a detailed plan on how to deliver it.
“Interactive Building Solutions has proven time and time again that their team of experts can truly identify, analyze and come up with cost effective beneficial resolutions for our facility. Working with the IBS team is truly a pleasure.”
Laser Labs
Many of our clients are members of the scientific community that have very specific requirements for their laboratory environments.
Our systems minimize environmental variables to a point where researchers can truly focus on collecting data without fear that environmental ‘hiccups’ have unknowingly tainted their experimental data. This type of stability gives researchers unmatched freedom to perform their science and go beyond what they ever thought was possible.
IBS has designed and built several laser labs at the University of Chicago that hold temperature variations to as little as 0.15ºF standard deviation, and a relative humidity standard deviation of 0.5 at multiple locations throughout the lab. These values are verified and substantiated continuously with independent redundant monitoring equipment by the scientists themselves.
Temperature Trends at Greg Engel Lab
Greg Engel Lab at the University of Chicago
Medical Centers
In hospital operating suites, and isolation and patient rooms, the key environmental needs are for pressurization, airflow temperature and humidity according to IDPH (Illinois Department of Public Health) and JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) standards.
We serve a critical environmental specialist role to ensure that regulatory obligation—such as design, control validation, testing and balancing, and all reports—are up to standard.
Operating Suite
Patient Room
Data Centers
Air-conditioning systems for data centers are designed for year-round cooling with very high cooling intensity per square foot of floor area. The high sensitivity of electronic components in such facilities requires that temperature, humidity, air movement and air cleanliness must be kept consistent and within specific limits to prevent premature equipment failures and costly downtime.
Because data centers are high-density enclosed spaces that generate a significant amount of heat, traditional comfort cooling systems can’t remove enough heat to protect the critical equipment. Instead, these unique areas require dedicated units with precision cooling capabilities.
Lab Projects
Building Reopening – ASHRAE HVAC Guidelines
ASHRAE has published Building Readiness Information that provides practical information and checklists for how your building should be operating and how to practically check its HVAC operation. ASHRAE documents include guidance for implementing measures [...]
A Climate for Success at Engel Labs
A “Critical Environment” challenge at the University of Chicago Background When Dr. Gregory Engel moved his research lab from the University of California at Berkeley to the University of Chicago, it was with the [...]
Simon Laser Lab
Asst. Professor Simon Laser Laboratory University of Chicago - GCIS Building IBS provided full mechanical Design Build services for the temperature controls and environmental conditions of the new laser laboratory space. This included providing [...]
Tokmakoff Laser Lab
Professor Tokmakoff Laser Laboratory University of Chicago - GCIS Building IBS provided full mechanical Design Build services for the temperature controls and environmental conditions of the new laser laboratory space. This included providing an [...]
Loomis Lab
Professor Loomis Laboratory Washington University (St. Louis, MO) IBS provided on site review of the existing as-built conditions in order to understand and define why the space was not meeting the intended environmental design [...]
XYZ Laser Lab
Professor Xiaoyang Zhu Laser Laboratory Columbia University (New York, NY) IBS provided on site review of the existing as-built conditions in order to understand and define why the space was not meeting the intended [...]
Petersen Lab
Professor Petersen Laboratory Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) IBS performed on-site observation of the existing laboratory mechanical system, provided engineered solutions for mechanical and control systems to enhance performance, reviewed and consulted on the existing [...]
David Awschalom Laser Lab
David Awschalom Laser Laboratory University of Chicago - Jones Building IBS provided on site labor to perform engineering based vetting of the new space for the laser lab. Project consisted of retro-fit of existing [...]
