The document summarizes renovation plans for the Chemistry Department at the National University of Singapore. It describes the existing facilities and plans to consolidate space and research areas through renovating existing buildings and constructing new buildings by 20XX. The first renovation involved converting a synthesis teaching lab, which required redesigning the lab layout, ventilation, and addressing issues like humidity control. Future plans include renovating entire labs and teaching labs on tighter schedules while managing utility considerations.

1. Renovating the Chemistry
Department:
The Singapore experience
Khaiseng Tan
Department of Chemistry

2. ACS National Meetings 2012
Background information
• 51 Faculty Staff
• 64 admin, technical & teaching staff
• ~380 graduate students, ~100 researchers
• ~150 final year undergrads, ~1000 undergrad,
• 13,600m2 space over 6 buildings, 64 research, teaching
and instrument laboratories

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Background information
• Size of Singapore: 581 km2 (1960)
723km2 (current) 280 sq miles
823km2 (2030)
• Temperature: 24°C – 32°C, 75°F – 90°F
• Relative Humidity: 65 to 95%RH, Avg 80%RH
• Rainfall: 6 – 9 inches/day avg monthly,
– 6 in/3hrs in Dec 2011
• Code compliance
– Fire code references NFPA codes, namely NFPA 45 & 55
for laboratories as well as Singapore standards

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Renovation Masterplan
• Urgent need to regularise the buildings to latest building
and fire codes
• Renovation plans to be inline with University’s master
plans to revamp the Science/Medicine sector (by 20XX)
– 1 whole new floor within a shared building in an adjacent
plot of land (completion 2015)
– Plan for one new building to house half the department
(201X)

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2011 2H!
S9! S8! S5! S7! S13! SR4 / B04 / LT22!
L5! HOR TZI SUM, ANDY! XUE FENG! Chen Han Song! ! HUANG DEJIAN! KANG HWAY CHUAN!
HUYNH, HAN VINH! ANG SIAU GEK! Spectroscopy Lab! ! LEONG LAI PENG! WOHLAND, THORSTEN!
WALCZYK, THOMAS
ZHAO JIN! LIU XIAOGANG! Synthesis Lab! ! RAINER! LOH KIAN PING!
CHI CHUNYAN! YIP HON KAY, JOHN! ! Yuk Hyun-Gyun!
Liu Xiaogang! VITTAL, JAGADESE J! FST 2!
S14! S16 SMART (600m2)!
L4! Applied chem! Analytical Lab! JAENICKE, STEPHAN! CHIN WEE SHONG! POPOVICH, DAVID GLEN!
BETTENS, RYAN PHILLIP
ANTHONY! LIU SHAO QUAN!
CHAN YIN THAI! ZHOU WEIBIAO!
XU QINGHUA! FST ADMIN!
Chng Shu Sin!
! FST LAB!
L3! CHANG YOUNG-TAE! Admin! LEAR, MARTIN JAMES! XU QINGHUA! Christian Nijhuis!
YEUNG YING YEUNG! ! YAO SHAO QIN! LOH KIAN PING!
ZENG HUAQIANG! Visitors office! TAN CHOON HONG!
WU JISHAN! LAM YULIN!
LU YIXIN!
!
S15!
L2! Kikkoman! Physical Lab! LEE HIAN KEE! ! Ang Wee Han!
CHUA LAY LAY (joint)! FAN WAI YIP! Gao Zhiqiang! ! Wang Jian!
CHAN SZE ON, HARDY! XU QINGHUA! LI FONG YAU, SAM! !
CHUAH GAIK KHUAN!
Medchem Core!
Sinomen!
WONG MING WAH, RICHARD!
L1! ! CMMAC! LAI YEE HING!
VALIYAVEETTIL,
XU GUO QIN!
Renovation
SURESH! CHEN WEI!
Zhao Yu!
General Teaching Lab! Movement plan

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Renovation plan
• Primary consideration:
– Everyone moves once (if possible)
– Consolidation of research areas
– Reorganisation of space allocation
– Creation of common shared facilities and common lab
• Step 1 of the whole renovation plans started with Block
S5 level 4 Synthesis Teaching Lab

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Design consideration
• Air conditioning for lab
• Reorganisation of lab layout
• Change of flooring from tiles to vinyl tiles
• Improvement to lab furnitures
• Inclusion of glass wall to maintain visual connectivity
• Limited floor height and building structure
• Existing riser shafts limiting lab design

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Lab Layout

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New Layout & design

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Ventilation design
• Single pass air-conditioning system
• Space considerations
– Limited headroom
• Energy saving considerations during design phase
• Automatic controls through BMS and motion sensor
• Retrofitting of existing CAV fumehoods with sash height
sensors and VAV controllers
• Heat recovery units in place of heaters for reheating of
air
• 8 ACH during operations, 4 ACH after operational hours
(avg 25 ACH with fumehood in operations)

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Ventilation (after commissioning)
• Further push for energy conservation ($$$)
• Estate office experimented with settings on the ACMV
– Off-coil temperature from 13°C to 18°C
– Increase of humidity from 65% to 75% RH
– No adverse feedback except for instrument room
– Reduced chilling requirements from 85RT to 55RT (35%
reduction)

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Problems encountered
• Humidity related issues
– Condensation in existing labs
– Molding
– Fogging on glass walls & lab surfaces
– Backflow of outside air

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Problems encountered
• Loss of power in fumehood fans
– Undocumented power cable from fumehood to fan
– Not part of electrical plans or ACMV plans
• Condensation within existing fumehood during
replacement of fumehood ducts
– Negative pressure in lab resulted in backflow of humid air
during replacement of fumehood ducts

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Problems encountered
• Emergency window access not coordinated with plans
from other levels

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Problems encountered
• Use of plywood for corridor design
• Led to intense debate on construction materials

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What’s next
• Renovation of 1 entire lab for 5 research lab
– Originally March 2012, now Sept 2012
– Delayed due to lack of chilled water
– Increased cost of construction materials
– Fire incident in another building, occupants temporary
housed in current location
• Renovation of 1 level for 2 teaching lab
– Small 3 months renovation window for ~1000m2 lab
– Utilities consideration forced major redesign & shuffling of
labs
• ??????

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LEVEL 5 – PLAN
Legend :
1. Organic/Inorganic
Chemistry Lab
2. Common Lab
3. Chemical Store
4. Solvent Store
5. Instrument Room
6. Staff Room
7. Student Room
8. Reception Area
9. New AHU room
3 1 1 1 1
2
9
4
7
8
5
6 6

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Acknowledgement
• Consultants: Parsons Brinckerhoff
• Main Contractor: Debenho Pte Ltd
• Estate Office rep: Mr John Poh, Mr Sim Chye Hin
• Faculty rep: Ms Belinda Beh
• Department Head: Guoqin XU