Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Founded in 1890, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) is a leading research institute with programs focusing on plant biology, quantitative biology, genomics, neuroscience, and cancer. The campus sits on the North Shore of Long Island with an eclectic mix of architectural styles. As a forerunner in molecular biology and genetics, CSHL required both facility and technological upgrades to maintain the prestige of this world-renowned institution that has produced several Nobel Prize winners.

Kohler Ronan has contributed comprehensive MEP/FP systems design to many projects ranging in size and scope, across CSHL’s 115-acre campus. For the mid-century Demerec Laboratory, named after the geneticist Milislav Demerec, a complete renovation was necessary to make way for an expansion providing cutting-edge laboratory space.

To this end, both south and north additions from the 1980s were renovated as was the original building to which a new three-story addition was constructed. As is often the case with a historic building, the project posed several challenges attempting to maintain the integrity of the space while accommodating necessary, up-to-date HVAC systems. Kohler Ronan’s engineering team designed highly efficient systems incorporating geothermal pre-cooling, cooling heat rejection, and lab equipment cooling, along with other forward-looking, sustainable elements. The 25,000 square-foot facility is home to a chemistry lab, a tissue culture lab, several wet labs, a glassware kitchen, cold rooms, and freezer rooms, as well as conference rooms and office spaces.

Photo credit: © Peter Aaron/OTTO