DuPont Pioneer and Ryan Companies US, Inc., asked Baker Group to provide design-build mechanical, sheet metal, compressed air, and building automation system services for the new two story, 200,000 square foot office and laboratory facility in Johnston, Iowa.

The mechanical central plant consists of three 400-ton air cooled chillers and three 3,000 MBH 94% efficient gas-fired boilers.

The HVAC system consists of two roof-mounted custom variable air volume air handling units with a common maintenance vestibule between the two units.  The lab air handling unit is a 100% outside air single pass air handling unit.  A separate air handling unit was provided with an energy recovery coil that captures the fume hood exhaust energy before routing the exhaust air through a high-plume laboratory exhaust fan.  A VAV AHU serves the office area.

The plumbing systems include a laboratory vacuum system, a laboratory compressed air system, domestic cold water, domestic hot water, RO water, DI water, steam humidification piping, standard waste piping, lab-grade waste piping, and storm drainage piping.

Baker Group also installed the building automation system (BAS) that controls all of the mechanical systems for the facility as well as provides critical reporting and historical trending of systems.  The software is web-based which, with the proper log in credentials, users can log on from any workstation on campus and view or control systems connected to the BAS.

Pioneer and Ryan Companies appreciate Baker Group’s design/build capabilities.  Baker Group’s turnkey mechanical piping, sheet metal, compressed air, and building automation systems helped shorten the schedule and reduce costs.