Laboratories and Research
ZGF, Hensel Phelps, and Affiliated Engineers, Inc. created a cutting-edge vehicle testing facility that is also a landmark example of California's climate policies in action.
Since its inception, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has made forward thinking and innovative actions a priority in all its policies and programs. With the design of the new CARB headquarters and vehicle emissions testing facility, the Department of General Services and CARB have set a new standard for energy reductions. Not only is it the largest and most advanced vehicle emissions testing and research facility in the world, it is also designed and built to be the largest true net-zero energy facility of its type—producing more energy than it uses. The project is LEED Platinum® and meets all CalGreen Tier 2 building standards.
Riverside, CA
403,300
2021
Architectural services
Interior design and space planning
Environmental graphic design
LEED Platinum
From the paradigm-changing introduction of the catalytic converter in the 1970s to the 2015 exposure of defeat devices in light-duty Volkswagen diesel engines, CARB’s testing and research is recognized internationally as providing high quality data and innovative solutions for reducing harmful air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions caused by motorized vehicles. Now, the organization is walking the talk when it comes to their own environmental footprint.
Aligning with their mission to protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through the reduction of airborne pollutants, CARB consolidated five existing locations spread across Southern California into one remarkably sustainable research facility that sets a new standard for reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, improves performance and efficiency of operations, and provides a healthy workplace for the organization’s 450+ employees.
Beyond reaching high-performance targets, the Design-Build team designed the three-story pinwheel-shaped building to create a beautiful destination, be a good neighbor, and provide a compelling, connected environment that fosters a strong sense of pride and place for CARB and its employees. The new headquarters features a complex program with myriad space types, including a main entrance and lobby, an employee entrance and lounge, a large auditorium, open office, conference rooms, light- and heavy-duty vehicular emissions testing wings, specialized chemistry and hydrogen laboratories, and employee amenity spaces such as an expansive breakroom, a gym, cafes, and coffee bars. The facility is sited optimally on 19 acres to encourage biking, walking, public transit, and use of zero emission vehicles to reduce transportation impacts. In prioritizing these elements, the project demonstrates it is possible to meet and exceed the State’s high bar for sustainability.
A photovoltaic system covers 204,903 SF between the facility rooftop and parking pavilions. The +3.5 megawatt system is anticipated to generate roughly 6,235,000 kWh reusable energy per year—enough to power an electric car for 25.6 million miles.
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Characterized by clearly defined angles crystallized by charcoal and amber-colored metal panels, the cutting-edge form is representative of the machine-like, innovative nature of CARB and its impact on the world, while being simplistic enough to make way for the headquarters’ complex programmatic needs. Influenced by Riverside’s semi-arid regional climate, performance, and budget, the architectural parti established in the entryway is echoed throughout the exterior of the project’s sprawling footprint.
The facet alignment of the metal panel detailing presents an innovative example of precision and exactitude, allowing a complex, geometric form to come together with ease.
An art installation by Tomas Saraceno suspends in CARB’s main entrance. The mirrored, geometric forms appear to be floating, presenting a sculptural representation of the idea that air molecules project a reflection of the state of our natural environment.
Natural materials of concrete and metal establish warmth and richness, while glass provides transparency and accentuates indoor-outdoor connections.
Integrating wellness-focused design solutions not only aligns with CARB’s mission, it contributes to accomplishing the sustainability goals set for the project and provides a healthy work environment for employees. Effectively connecting users to the outdoors, the layout and form of the building establishes two principle outdoor spaces: the main courtyard to the east and a more private courtyard to the west. For optimal user comfort, the building is oriented around the courtyards to lend itself to easy circulation, views, daylighting, and self-shading. Coupled with an abundance of low BVOC-emission trees and plantings, comfortable outdoor respite spaces are established for employee enjoyment.
Throughout the indoor and outdoor public spaces of the campus, employees and visitors alike will encounter the world’s largest permanent collection of artworks addressing air quality and the effects of climate change. The public art program was curated by Dyson & Womack and features original, commissioned works ranging from poetry to physical sculpture to algorithm-driven digital works by artists Allora & Calzadilla, Refik Anadol, Kameelah Janan Rasheed, Noé Montes, and Tomás Saraceno.
Direct vehicular access into the main courtyard provides flexibility and makes way for vibrant outdoor events to come to life. The securable entry allows controlled access for demonstration vehicles, food trucks, and other event related equipment.
An art installation by Allora + Calzadilla sits between the visitor entrance to the main courtyard and the outdoor terraced seating. A futuristic embodiment of the goals of both CARB and the State of California, the monument symbolizes the extinction of fossil fuels and represents gasoline as a relic of the past.
The massing of the office building is consolidated into three stories that extend in three directions parallel to light duty testing, the chemistry labs, and toward the conference buildings. This creates a smaller building footprint and shortens horizontal circulation networks, while using vertical connectivity established by a network of bridges and stairs to increase proximity between offices, testing areas, support spaces, and laboratories, resulting in increased flexibility, optimized adjacencies, and greater opportunities for intellectual collisions among employees.
The office becomes a nexus of the overall building and a crucial link between all the key components of the CARB mission—testing, chemistry analysis, compliance, education, and outreach. A variety of types and scales of meeting spaces, as well as coffee bars and cafés promote interaction and collaboration, especially for staff who circulate between various departments throughout the day. Overall, the layout creates an efficiency of motion to increase productivity and connectivity between teams.
A network of staircases and bridges throughout the office and light duty testing buildings connect users to the different space types and keeps the scale of the facility manageable for daily use.
The ground floor of the office atrium features testing control desks where employees operate the air regulation testing that occurs in the test cells. These inset spaces throughout the office building first floor are open and allow all users to see the AC dynamometers, among other testing equipment, in action. This open display of science and technology further connects employees to CARB’s operations and creates a connected, collaborative work experience.
Beyond putting CARB vehicle testing on display, the energy reduction strategies in the office building also largely contribute the facility’s net-zero energy goals. The integration of chilled beams allowed the atrium ceiling to be kept high, making way for the collection of skylights—a passive lighting strategy—that create expansive views of the naturally lit workspace. Paired with task lighting and daylight harvesting, the office wing, which accounts for 41% of the total program, uses only 15% of the total energy needed to operate the building.
The wayfinding and environmental graphics draw on CARB’s brand colors and the hues and angular forms defined by the exterior architecture. Bold numbers and lettering create eye-catching directional signage and locational markings throughout the expansive facility.
The testing journey for light-duty motorized vehicles begins here in the light-duty test cells where emissions data and chemical samples are collected. Specialized testing equipment, such as AC dynamometers, allow cars to operate at full speed to simulate actualized performance.
Vehicles are also tested for how they operate under harsh weather conditions including extreme high and low temperatures in the SCO3 test cells, which feature a solar simulation array system comprised of light bulbs that heat up to 95°F.
Heavy-duty vehicles, such as buses and semi-trailer trucks, follow a similar testing process to light-duty vehicles, but on a larger scale in the heavy-duty testing wing.
Once samples and data are collected in the test cells, they are walked to the adjacent chemistry labs, which are situated between the light- and heavy-duty testing wings and connected by a central corridor. This creates an easy path of travel, enhanced connectedness between departments, and greater operational efficiency.
To achieve the sustainability goals set by the State for this facility—one that requires tremendous energy loads in order to facilitate the necessary vehicular and laboratory testing— a custom network of integrated sustainability strategies operate simultaneously to reach unprecedented energy savings. This includes both active and passive strategies that come together to reduce energy demands, while increasing onsite energy production. The result is a facility that exceeds Title 24 requirements by 30% and lowers energy cost savings by 75%. This reduction in cost will lead to 100% payback for the solar array system in just under ten years, making this project exemplary for how sustainable design can make both environmental and economic sense.
By reducing energy demands, using energy efficient systems and equipment, and incorporating a clean supply of renewable energy, the facility goes beyond NZE, producing a surplus of reusable energy that will be stored in onsite batteries and used to power EV charging stations.
Fluid cooler
Using hybrid coolers in conjunction with an elevated 57°F chilled water temperature reduced estimated energy consumption of the facility by approximately 8%.
Aircuity and demand control ventilation
Continuous indoor air monitoring maximizes ventilation efficiency and energy reduction.
Adiabatic humidification
Air is humidified without using steam or an additional heat source, reducing energy consumption.
Active chilled beams
The hydronic air cooling system uses less air, reducing energy requirements and overall operating costs.
Daylighting
Skylights increase interior daylighting. Motorized interior shades reduce glare.
Lighting
Site lighting: high efficiency LED site in parking. Interior lighting: interiors incorporate all LED lighting, task-ambient lighting, daylight harvesting control, dual lighting / HVAC occupancy sensors.
Electrical vehicle charging
118 EV charging stalls provided on site with the ability to expand to a total of 149 EV parking stalls.
Fume hood occupancy-based control
Occupancy-based sensors integrated into the chemistry lab fume hoods reduce energy demands.
Exterior louvers
Exterior louvers integrated into the southeast and west facades reduce solar heating and glare.
High-performance glazing
Low-e insulated glazing with exterior louvers increase operational energy efficiency.
Air handing unit condensate recovery
Condensate from the air handling units is captured and reused to reduce water consumption.
Native and adaptive plantings
Plants with lower BVOC emissions were selected. Plants are drought tolerant, which reduces heat island impact, and water consumption, while providing biophilic benefits.
High efficiency fixtures
Low flow plumbing fixtures reduce water consumption.
