Research & Testing Laboratory - Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments’ Research & Testing Laboratory is a new build, 3-story facility. One of the floors houses 25,000 SF of labs that includes fume hoods and equipment to handle liquid nitrogen, and compressed air used for testing, along with research and development. The remaining building includes a multi-purpose, dividable room for dining; a 5,000 SF fitness center, recreational equipment, and green spaces; and general office and meeting spaces. The mechanical and electrical systems were designed for high reliability and ease of maintainability to support the site while still being flexible to plan for future growth.

Working through design, construction, and occupancy phases of the project, Henderson Building Solutions provided LEED Fundamental and Enhanced Commissioning services which included the specialty systems that support the labs. Henderson Building worked hand in hand with the mechanical and test and balance contractors along with input from the EOR to address lab pressurization issues.

Another challenge was the critical nature of the HVAC equipment. Any downtime from the central plant could have led to failed testing. We worked with the owner’s facilities group and the contractors to make sure failure rotations were timed properly. We also trained the owner’s staff on how to operate the system once they took possession.