The design and construction team looked for opportunities to reduce the building’s carbon footprint. A concrete structural frame was used to limit vibration in the labs. To reduce the quantity of concrete, the team used bubble deck, a grid of recycled plastic spheres in rebar cages that create voids in the slab that optimize its structural performance. Bubble deck slabs are approximately 35 percent lighter while performing the same function as typical slabs. This also translated to smaller supporting columns, smaller footings, and reduced costs. It was the first time the system was used in Arizona, and we have shared our experience with both the local design and construction communities.
The team also identified a customized fly ash concrete admixture that substantially reduced the amount of Portland Cement, the ingredient with the highest carbon footprint in concrete. The team had to work through the ability to adequately finish the high fly ash content concrete and the difficulty for color control to make this admixture possible even in the exposed architectural concrete.
The team used extensive predictive computer modeling programs throughout the design & construction phases to guide decisions that ultimately led to an overall sustainable project that has a 21% or greater reduction in all 6 impact categories. The LEED requirement is a minimum of 10% in at least 3 categories:

• Global Warming Potential: 26% reduction
• Ozone Depletion: 21% reduction
• Acidification: 26% reduction
• Eutrophication: 26% reduction
• Formation of tropospheric ozone: 28% reduction
• Depletion of nonrenewable energy: 35% reduction