Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Photo of Research Triangle Park, Chapel Hill

This facility features the following green attributes:
Green Power
Water Management Plan
Re-commissioned

Chapel Hill Laboratory

Total Facility Area: 136,786 gross square feet (GSF)
Estimated Personnel: 120 persons

FY 2003 Energy Consumption*: 78,004,950,696 Btu per year
FY 2003 Btu per GSF per Year: 570,270
FY 2012 Energy Consumption: 95,543,654,508 Btu per year
FY 2012 Btu per GSF per Year: 698,490; 22.5 percent increase from the baseline

FY 2007 Water Consumption**: 1,998,000 gallons per year
FY 2007 Gallons per GSF per Year: 14.6
FY 2012 Water Consumption: 1,954,000 gallons per year
FY 2012 Gallons per GSF per Year: 14.3; 2.2 percent reduction from the baseline

All energy and water data are reported as of FY 2012.¹
*FY 2003 is the standard baseline year used by the federal government to measure energy conservation progress.
**FY 2007 is the standard baseline year used by the federal government to measure water conservation progress.

Description

The Human Studies Division (HSD) at the Chapel Hill Laboratory conducts clinical research and studies on the causes and spread of diseases to improve the understanding of human health risks associated with environmental pollution. HSD is part of the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL) within EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD). The division comprises approximately 55 federal employees and is located on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). UNC's Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma, and Lung Biology has a cooperative agreement with HSD and is co-located in the facility.

In addition to this facility, EPA occupies several other buildings in the Research Triangle Park area, including:

Unique Environmental Features

Energy Conservation

In May 2010, EPA kicked off a project to develop a conceptual design for the Chapel Hill Laboratory. A conceptual design is an engineering planning exercise that incorporates an energy assessment but also accounts for architectural and construction project phasing. It covers the entire building, from the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and lighting systems to the walls, windows, and building envelope. A conceptual design also accounts for building occupants' potential growth over the next 10-15 years. The conceptual design will synthesize findings from past energy assessments and future research needs to guide future building modification plans and energy conservation projects at this facility.

Green Power

EPA offsets 100 percent of the electricity consumption at the Chapel Hill Laboratory with renewable energy certificates (RECs) purchased through the Agency's blanket green power contract. Learn more about EPA's blanket green power contracts.

Water Conservation

In February 2009, EPA completed a water management plan for the Chapel Hill Laboratory (PDF) (27 pp, 1.0MB, About PDF).

Stormwater Management

Porous asphalt in the guest parking lot at the Chapel Hill Laboratory.

In fiscal year (FY) 2004, porous asphalt parking spaces were used to construct the Chapel Hill Laboratory's guest parking lot. Porous asphalt, a type of permeable pavement, allows stormwater runoff to drain through for a number of possible environmental benefits, including improving runoff quality and promoting infiltration, groundwater recharge, runoff storage, and filtration. Learn more about permeable pavement.

For More Information About This Facility

Website: www.epa.gov/rtp

Alex Montilla (montilla.alex@epa.gov)
U.S. EPA
Mail Code: C604-01
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
Phone: (919) 541-0324

¹ The Chapel Hill Laboratory's significant increase in energy intensity since FY 2003 can be partly attributed to a change in the source of the facility's chilled water consumption data. Prior to FY 2005, consumption was estimated by UNC Energy Services based on the total design load of all of its customers' buildings. As of FY 2005, Chapel Hill's chilled water consumption is metered.