Bayer CropScience Greenhouse & Phytotron Expansion
Site 600 – R.R. #6
Near Saskatoon, SK
This 2,400 m2 research facility was constructed as an addition to the existing facilities at Bayer Cropscience’s facility near Saskatoon.
The project consisted of a Laboratory and a connected Greenhouse facility. DWEL provide mechanical consulting to the Laboratory while another consultant handled mechanical design of the Greenhouse.
DWEL provided mechanical system commissioning to the entire facility.
The building featured a “high containment” phytotron that was constructed using the techniques for Level 3 bio-containment facilities. This included n+1 redundancy on air handling equipment, HEPA filtration, Phoenix air valves, bubble-tight air dampers, air pressure monitors, etc.
There was also a “standard containment” phytotron that was constructed but didn’t require the same level of mechanical protection as the high containment version.
Heat rejected from the Growth Chamber cooling equipment was used to preheat incoming fresh air when ambient temperatures were favorable. This is a significant energy saving feature due to the large number of growth chambers in the facility.
The facility also featured “wet lab” space with fumehoods which were ventilated using Phoenix air valves and controls. Air is delivered into the labs using laminar flow diffusers to prevent disruptive air currents at the face of fumehoods.
Exhaust air from the laboratories was discharged from the building using a vertical high plume exhaust fan.
A Reverse Osmosis water system was implemented.
A specialized canola seed capture system was implemented in the drainage system from the building to prevent the seeds from escaping into the environment.
Heating for the facility is provided by a high efficiency condensing boiler plant.
